Chapter 23

  It happened after many days, when Yahweh had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua was old and well stricken in years; 

  that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said to them, I am old and well stricken in years: 

  and you have seen all that Yahweh your God has done to all these nations because of you; for Yahweh your God, he it is that has fought for you. 

  Behold, I have allotted to you these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even to the great sea toward the going down of the sun. 

  Yahweh your God, he will thrust them out from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and you shall possess their land, as Yahweh your God spoke to you. 

  Therefore be you very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that you not turn aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; 

  that you not come among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear [by them], neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves to them; 

  but cleave to Yahweh your God, as you have done to this day. 

  For Yahweh has driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man has stood before you to this day. 

  One man of you shall chase a thousand; for Yahweh your God, he it is who fights for you, as he spoke to you. 

  Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that you love Yahweh your God. 

  Else if you do at all go back, and cleave to the remnant of these nations, even these who remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in to them, and they to you; 

  know for a certainty that Yahweh your God will no more drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, and a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you. 

  Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing has failed of all the good things which Yahweh your God spoke concerning you; all are happen to you, not one thing has failed of it. 

  It shall happen, that as all the good things are come on you of which Yahweh your God spoke to you, so will Yahweh bring on you all the evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you. 

  When you disobey the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them; then will the anger of Yahweh be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you.