Joshua’s Farewell Address

23 Now it came about after many days, when the Lord had given (A)rest to Israel from all their enemies on every side, and Joshua was old, advanced in years, that (B)Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, their heads, their judges, and their officers, and said to them, “I am old, advanced in years. And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you, for (C)the Lord your God is He who has been fighting for you. See, (D)I have apportioned to you these nations which remain as an inheritance for your tribes, with all the nations which I have eliminated, from the Jordan even to the Great Sea toward the [a]west. And the Lord your God, He will thrust them away from you and [b](E)drive them from you; and (F)you will take possession of their land, just as the Lord your God [c]promised you. (G)Be very determined, then, to keep and do everything that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, so that you will not turn aside from it to the right or to the left, so that you will not [d]associate with these nations, these which remain with you, or (H)mention the name of their gods, or (I)make anyone swear by them, or (J)serve them, or bow down to them. But you are to cling to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day. (K)For the Lord has [e]driven out great and mighty nations from before you; and as for you, (L)no one has stood against you to this day. 10 (M)One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is (N)He who fights for you, just as He [f]promised you. 11 So take great care for yourselves that you love the Lord your God. 12 For if you ever go back and (O)cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain with you, and (P)intermarry with them, so that you [g]associate with them and they with you, 13 know with certainty that the Lord your God will not continue to [h]drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a (Q)snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.

14 “Now behold, today (R)I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that (S)not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed; they all have [i]been fulfilled for you, not [j]one of them has failed. 15 But it will come about that just as all the good words which the Lord your God spoke to you have come upon you, so (T)the Lord will bring upon you [k]all the warnings, until He has eliminated you from this good land which the Lord your God has given you. 16 (U)When you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, and you go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and you will perish quickly from the good land which He has given you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 23:4 Lit sunset
  2. Joshua 23:5 Or dispossess
  3. Joshua 23:5 Lit spoke to
  4. Joshua 23:7 Lit come among
  5. Joshua 23:9 Or dispossessed
  6. Joshua 23:10 Lit spoke to
  7. Joshua 23:12 Lit come among
  8. Joshua 23:13 Or dispossess
  9. Joshua 23:14 Lit come
  10. Joshua 23:14 Lit one word
  11. Joshua 23:15 Lit every bad word

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) So Joshua summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers,(C) and said to them, “I am old, advanced in age, 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) 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 westward to the Mediterranean Sea. 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.

“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 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. Instead, be loyal to the Lord your God, as you have been to this day.(I)

“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 Since 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.”

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Footnotes

  1. 23:10 Lit promised you
  2. 23:13 Or a whip; Hb obscure