Do Not Forget the Lord

8 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live^(A) and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors.^{(B) 2} Remember how the Lord your God led^(C) you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test^(D) you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. ³ He humbled^(E) you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna,^(F) which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach^(G) you that man does not live on bread^(H) alone but on every word that comes from the mouth^(I) of the Lord.^{(J) 4} Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.^{(K) 5} Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.^(L)

⁶ Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him^(M) and revering him.^{(N) 7} For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land^(O)—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills;^{(P) 8} a land with wheat and barley,^(Q) vines^(R) and fig trees,^(S) pomegranates, olive oil and honey;^{(T) 9} a land where bread^(U) will not be scarce and you will lack nothing;^(V) a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.^(W)

¹⁰ When you have eaten and are satisfied,^(X) praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. ¹¹ Be careful that you do not forget^(Y) the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. ¹² Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,^{(Z) 13} and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, ¹⁴ then your heart will become proud and you will forget^(AA) the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ¹⁵ He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness,^(AB) that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes^(AC) and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.^{(AD) 16} He gave you manna^(AE) to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known,^(AF) to humble and test^(AG) you so that in the end it might go well with you. ¹⁷ You may say to yourself,^(AH) “My power and the strength of my hands^(AI) have produced this wealth for me.” ¹⁸ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,^(AJ) and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

¹⁹ If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods^(AK) and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.^{(AL) 20} Like the nations^(AM) the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.^(AN)

The Covenant Renewed at Shechem

24 Then Joshua assembled^(A) all the tribes of Israel at Shechem.^(B) He summoned^(C) the elders,^(D) leaders, judges and officials of Israel,^(E) and they presented themselves before God.

² Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor,^(F) lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods.^{(G) 3} But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan^(H) and gave him many descendants.^(I) I gave him Isaac,^{(J) 4} and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.^(K) I assigned the hill country of Seir^(L) to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.^(M)

⁵ “‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron,^(N) and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out.^{(O) 6} When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea,^(P) and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen^[a](Q) as far as the Red Sea.^{[b](R) 7} But they cried^(S) to the Lord for help, and he put darkness^(T) between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them.^(U) You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians.^(V) Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.^(W)

⁸ “‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites^(X) who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land.^{(Y) 9} When Balak son of Zippor,^(Z) the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor^(AA) to put a curse on you.^{(AB) 10} But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you^(AC) again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.

¹¹ “‘Then you crossed the Jordan^(AD) and came to Jericho.^(AE) The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites,^(AF) Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites,^(AG) but I gave them into your hands.^{(AH) 12} I sent the hornet^(AI) ahead of you, which drove them out^(AJ) before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow.^{(AK) 13} So I gave you a land^(AL) on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’^(AM)

¹⁴ “Now fear the Lord^(AN) and serve him with all faithfulness.^(AO) Throw away the gods^(AP) your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt,^(AQ) and serve the Lord. ¹⁵ But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites,^(AR) in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household,^(AS) we will serve the Lord.”^(AT)

¹⁶ Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake^(AU) the Lord to serve other gods! ¹⁷ It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery,^(AV) and performed those great signs^(AW) before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. ¹⁸ And the Lord drove out^(AX) before us all the nations,^(AY) including the Amorites, who lived in the land.^(AZ) We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.^(BA)”

¹⁹ Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God;^(BB) he is a jealous God.^(BC) He will not forgive^(BD) your rebellion^(BE) and your sins. ²⁰ If you forsake the Lord^(BF) and serve foreign gods, he will turn^(BG) and bring disaster^(BH) on you and make an end of you,^(BI) after he has been good to you.”

²¹ But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”

²² Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses^(BJ) against yourselves that you have chosen^(BK) to serve the Lord.”

“Yes, we are witnesses,^(BL)” they replied.

²³ “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods^(BM) that are among you and yield your hearts^(BN) to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

²⁴ And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”^(BO)

²⁵ On that day Joshua made a covenant^(BP) for the people, and there at Shechem^(BQ) he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws.^{(BR) 26} And Joshua recorded^(BS) these things in the Book of the Law of God.^(BT) Then he took a large stone^(BU) and set it up there under the oak^(BV) near the holy place of the Lord.

²⁷ “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone^(BW) will be a witness^(BX) against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue^(BY) to your God.”^(BZ)

²⁸ Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.^(CA)

Buried in the Promised Land^(CB)

²⁹ After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died^(CC) at the age of a hundred and ten.^{(CD) 30} And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah^[c](CE) in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.^(CF)

³¹ Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders^(CG) who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.

³² And Joseph’s bones,^(CH) which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt,^(CI) were buried at Shechem in the tract of land^(CJ) that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver^[d] from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants.

³³ And Eleazar son of Aaron^(CK) died and was buried at Gibeah,^(CL) which had been allotted to his son Phinehas^(CM) in the hill country^(CN) of Ephraim.

⁶ Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought^(A) your ancestors up out of Egypt. ⁷ Now then, stand^(B) here, because I am going to confront^(C) you with evidence before the Lord as to all the righteous acts^(D) performed by the Lord for you and your ancestors.

⁸ “After Jacob^(E) entered Egypt, they cried^(F) to the Lord for help, and the Lord sent^(G) Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

⁹ “But they forgot^(H) the Lord their God; so he sold them^(I) into the hand of Sisera,^(J) the commander of the army of Hazor,^(K) and into the hands of the Philistines^(L) and the king of Moab,^(M) who fought against them. ¹⁰ They cried^(N) out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned; we have forsaken^(O) the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths.^(P) But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ ¹¹ Then the Lord sent Jerub-Baal,^[a](Q) Barak,^[b](R) Jephthah^(S) and Samuel,^[c](T) and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety.

¹² “But when you saw that Nahash^(U) king^(V) of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule^(W) over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king. ¹³ Now here is the king^(X) you have chosen, the one you asked^(Y) for; see, the Lord has set a king over you. ¹⁴ If you fear^(Z) the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel^(AA) against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God—good! ¹⁵ But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against^(AB) his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

¹⁶ “Now then, stand still^(AC) and see^(AD) this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! ¹⁷ Is it not wheat harvest^(AE) now? I will call^(AF) on the Lord to send thunder^(AG) and rain.^(AH) And you will realize what an evil^(AI) thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.”

¹⁸ Then Samuel called on the Lord,^(AJ) and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe^(AK) of the Lord and of Samuel.

¹⁹ The people all said to Samuel, “Pray^(AL) to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die,^(AM) for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”

²⁰ “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil;^(AN) yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. ²¹ Do not turn away after useless^(AO) idols.^(AP) They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. ²² For the sake^(AQ) of his great name^(AR) the Lord will not reject^(AS) his people, because the Lord was pleased to make^(AT) you his own. ²³ As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray^(AU) for you. And I will teach^(AV) you the way that is good and right. ²⁴ But be sure to fear^(AW) the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart;^(AX) consider^(AY) what great^(AZ) things he has done for you. ²⁵ Yet if you persist^(BA) in doing evil, both you and your king^(BB) will perish.”^(BC)

Rebellious Israel Purged

20 In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire^(A) of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.^(B)

² Then the word of the Lord came to me: ³ “Son of man, speak to the elders^(C) of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire^(D) of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(E)’

⁴ “Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors^{(F) 5} and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose^(G) Israel, I swore with uplifted hand^(H) to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, “I am the Lord your God.^(I)” ⁶ On that day I swore^(J) to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(K) the most beautiful of all lands.^{(L) 7} And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images^(M) you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols^(N) of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.^(O)”

⁸ “‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me;^(P) they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.^(Q) So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.^{(R) 9} But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt.^(S) I did it to keep my name from being profaned^(T) in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. ¹⁰ Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.^{(U) 11} I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.^{(V) 12} Also I gave them my Sabbaths^(W) as a sign^(X) between us,^(Y) so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.^(Z)

¹³ “‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled^(AA) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws^(AB)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.^(AC) So I said I would pour out my wrath^(AD) on them and destroy^(AE) them in the wilderness.^{(AF) 14} But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned^(AG) in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.^{(AH) 15} Also with uplifted hand I swore^(AI) to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands^(AJ)— ¹⁶ because they rejected my laws^(AK) and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts^(AL) were devoted to their idols.^{(AM) 17} Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy^(AN) them or put an end to them in the wilderness. ¹⁸ I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents^(AO) or keep their laws or defile yourselves^(AP) with their idols. ¹⁹ I am the Lord your God;^(AQ) follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.^{(AR) 20} Keep my Sabbaths^(AS) holy, that they may be a sign^(AT) between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.^(AU)”

²¹ “‘But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws,^(AV) of which I said, “The person who obeys them will live by them,” and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger^(AW) against them in the wilderness.^{(AX) 22} But I withheld^(AY) my hand, and for the sake of my name^(AZ) I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. ²³ Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter^(BA) them through the countries, ²⁴ because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees^(BB) and desecrated my Sabbaths,^(BC) and their eyes lusted after^(BD) their parents’ idols.^{(BE) 25} So I gave^(BF) them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live;^{(BG) 26} I defiled them through their gifts—the sacrifice^(BH) of every firstborn—that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the Lord.^(BI)’

²⁷ “Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In this also your ancestors^(BJ) blasphemed^(BK) me by being unfaithful to me:^{(BL) 28} When I brought them into the land^(BM) I had sworn to give them and they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, made offerings that aroused my anger, presented their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings.^{(BN) 29} Then I said to them: What is this high place^(BO) you go to?’” (It is called Bamah^[a] to this day.)

Rebellious Israel Renewed

³⁰ “Therefore say to the Israelites: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves^(BP) the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images?^{(BQ) 31} When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your children^(BR) in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you inquire of me.^(BS)

³² “‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen. ³³ As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm^(BT) and with outpoured wrath.^{(BU) 34} I will bring you from the nations^(BV) and gather^(BW) you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand^(BX) and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.^{(BY) 35} I will bring you into the wilderness^(BZ) of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment^(CA) upon you. ³⁶ As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(CB) 37} I will take note of you as you pass under my rod,^(CC) and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.^{(CD) 38} I will purge^(CE) you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(CF)

³⁹ “‘As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go and serve your idols,^(CG) every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name^(CH) with your gifts and idols.^{(CI) 40} For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel,^(CJ) declares the Sovereign Lord, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings^(CK) and your choice gifts,^[b] along with all your holy sacrifices.^{(CL) 41} I will accept you as fragrant incense^(CM) when I bring you out from the nations and gather^(CN) you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy^(CO) through you in the sight of the nations.^{(CP) 42} Then you will know that I am the Lord,^(CQ) when I bring you into the land of Israel,^(CR) the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors.^{(CS) 43} There you will remember your conduct^(CT) and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves^(CU) for all the evil you have done.^{(CV) 44} You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake^(CW) and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(CX)’”

Prophecy Against the South

⁴⁵ The word of the Lord came to me: ⁴⁶ “Son of man, set your face toward^(CY) the south; preach against the south and prophesy against^(CZ) the forest of the southland.^{(DA) 47} Say to the southern forest:^(DB) ‘Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume^(DC) all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north^(DD) will be scorched by it.^{(DE) 48} Everyone will see that I the Lord have kindled it; it will not be quenched.^(DF)’”

⁴⁹ Then I said, “Sovereign Lord,^(DG) they are saying of me, ‘Isn’t he just telling parables?^(DH)’”^[c]