Joshua’s Farewell Address

23 And it happened, after a long time,^[a] after Yahweh had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and after Joshua was old and well-advanced in years,^{[b] 2} Joshua summoned all Israel, their elders, heads, judges, and officials, and he said to them, “I am old and well-advanced in years,^{[c] 3} and you have seen all that Yahweh your God has done to all these nations for your sake,^[d] for Yahweh your God is fighting for you. ⁴ Look! I have allotted to you these remaining nations as an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, to the Great Sea^[e] in the west.^{[f] 5} And Yahweh your God will push them back before you^[g] and drive them out of your sight,^[h] and you will possess their land, just as Yahweh your God promised to you. ⁶ Be very strong to observe carefully all that is written in the scroll of the law of Moses so as not to turn aside from it, to the right or left, ⁷ so as not to go among these remaining nations with you; do not profess^[i] the name of their gods, and do not swear by them, serve them, or bow down to them.^{[j] 8} But hold fast to Yahweh your God, just as you have done up to this day. ⁹ Yahweh has driven out before you great and strong nations; and as for you, nobody has withstood^[k] you to this day. ¹⁰ One of your men put to flight a thousand, for Yahweh your God is fighting for you, just as he promised you. ¹¹ Take utmost care for the sake of your life to love Yahweh your God, ¹² for if indeed you turn back and join these remaining nations among you,^[l] and you intermarry with them, marrying their women and they yours,^{[m] 13} know for certain that Yahweh your God will not continue to drive out^[n] these nations from before you; they will be for you a snare and a trap, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that Yahweh your God has given to you.

¹⁴ Look! I am about to die,^[o] and you know in all your hearts^[p] and souls^[q] that not one thing failed^[r] from all the good things that Yahweh your God promised concerning you; everything has been fulfilled;^[s] not one thing failed.^{[t] 15} But just as all the good things^[u] came to you that Yahweh your God promised, so will Yahweh bring to you all the bad things^[v] until he has destroyed you from this good land that Yahweh your God has given to you. ¹⁶ If you transgress the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he commanded to you, and you go and serve other gods and bow down to them, Yahweh’s anger will be kindled^[w] against you, and you will perish quickly from the good land that he has given to you.”