Joshua 23
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Joshua’s Farewell Address
23 A long time after the Lord had given Israel rest from all the enemies around them,(A) Joshua was old, advanced in age.(B) 2 So Joshua summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers,(C) and said to them, ‘I am old, advanced in age, 3 and you have seen for yourselves everything the Lord your God did to all these nations on your account, because it was the Lord your God who was fighting for you.(D) 4 See, I have allotted these remaining nations to you as an inheritance for your tribes,(E) including all the nations I have destroyed, from the Jordan westwards to the Mediterranean Sea. 5 The Lord your God will force them back on your account and drive them out before you so that you can take possession of their land,(F) as the Lord your God promised you.
6 ‘Be very strong(G) and continue obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you do not turn from it to the right or left 7 and so that you do not associate with these nations remaining among you. Do not call on the names of their gods or make an oath to them;(H) do not serve them or bow in worship to them. 8 Instead, be loyal to the Lord your God, as you have been to this day.(I)
9 ‘The Lord has driven out great and powerful nations before you,(J) and no one is able to stand against you to this day.(K) 10 One of you routed a thousand(L) because the Lord your God was fighting for you, as he promised.[a](M) 11 So diligently watch yourselves! Love the Lord your God! 12 If you ever turn away and become loyal to the rest of these nations remaining among you,(N) and if you intermarry or associate with them(O) and they with you, 13 know for certain that the Lord your God will not continue to drive these nations out before you. They will become a snare and a trap for you,(P) a sharp stick[b] for your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you disappear from this good land the Lord your God has given you.
14 ‘I am now going the way of the whole earth,(Q) and you know with all your heart and all your soul that none of the good promises the Lord your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.(R) 15 Just as every good thing the Lord your God promised you has come about, so he will bring on you every bad thing until he has annihilated you from this good land the Lord your God has given you.(S) 16 If you break the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow in worship to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly disappear from this good land he has given you.’
Joshua 23
New Life Version
23 A long time after that, the Lord had given Israel rest from all those around them who hated them. Joshua had grown old, and had lived many years. 2 Joshua called all Israel, their leaders, their heads, and the men chosen among them who judge between what is right or wrong. Then he said to them, “I am old and have lived many years. 3 And you have seen all the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you. The Lord your God is the One Who has fought for you. 4 See, I have given to you as land for your families those nations that are left, with all the nations I have destroyed. They lie from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west. 5 The Lord your God will send them out from in front of you. He will send them away from you. Then their land will be yours, just as the Lord your God promised you. 6 So do not be moved by others. Keep and obey all that is written in the book of the Law of Moses. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left. 7 Do not mix with these nations that stay among you. Do not say the names of their gods or make anyone swear by them. Do not work for them or worship them. 8 But hold on to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day. 9 For the Lord has driven away large and strong nations from in front of you. No man has been able to stand in front of you to this day. 10 One of your men makes a thousand run away. For the Lord your God is the One Who fights for you, just as He promised you. 11 Be very careful to love the Lord your God. 12 For if you ever turn away and join the people of these nations left among you and marry some of their people and go among them, 13 know for sure that the Lord your God will stop driving these nations away from you. And they will be a net and a trap to you. They will be a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you are destroyed from this good land the Lord your God has given you.
14 “See, today I am going the way of all the earth. Know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God made to you has been broken. All have come true for you. Not one of them has been broken. 15 Every good promise the Lord your God made to you has come true. But in the same way, He will keep His promises to punish you. He will punish you until He has destroyed you from this good land the Lord your God has given you. 16 If you do not keep the agreement the Lord your God made with you, and serve other gods and worship them, then the anger of the Lord will burn against you and you will be destroyed from the good land He has given you.”
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.