Joshua’s Farewell to the Leaders

23 After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest^(A) from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man,^{(B) 2} summoned all Israel—their elders,^(C) leaders, judges and officials^(D)—and said to them: “I am very old.^{(E) 3} You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you.^{(F) 4} Remember how I have allotted^(G) as an inheritance^(H) for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea^(I) in the west. ⁵ The Lord your God himself will push them out^(J) for your sake. He will drive them out^(K) before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you.^(L)

⁶ “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law^(M) of Moses, without turning aside^(N) to the right or to the left.^{(O) 7} Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear^(P) by them. You must not serve them or bow down^(Q) to them. ⁸ But you are to hold fast to the Lord^(R) your God, as you have until now.

¹⁴ “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth.^(A) You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise^(B) has been fulfilled; not one has failed.^{(C) 15} But just as all the good things^(D) the Lord your God has promised you have come to you, so he will bring on you all the evil things^(E) he has threatened, until the Lord your God has destroyed you^(F) from this good land he has given you.^{(G) 16} If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.^(H)”

¹⁴ “Now fear the Lord^(A) and serve him with all faithfulness.^(B) Throw away the gods^(C) your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt,^(D) 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,^(E) in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household,^(F) we will serve the Lord.”^(G)