23And it came to pass a
long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their
enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. 2 And Joshua called for all Israel, and
for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their
officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age: 3 And ye have seen all that the LORD your
God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God
is he that hath fought for you. 4 Behold, I have divided unto you by lot
these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan,
with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. 5 And the LORD your God, he shall expel
them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall
possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you. 6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep
and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn
not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; 7 That ye come not 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 yourselves unto
them: 8 But cleave unto the LORD your God, as
ye have done unto this day.
9 For the LORD
hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you,
no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. 10 One man of you shall chase a thousand:
for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised
you. 11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves,
that ye love the LORD your God. 12 Else if ye do in any wise go back, and
cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you,
and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: 13 Know for a certainty that the LORD your
God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they
shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns
in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your
God hath given you. 14 And, behold, this day I am going the
way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls,
that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your
God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing
hath failed thereof. 15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that
as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you;
so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed
you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. 16 When ye have transgressed the covenant
of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other
gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be
kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land
which he hath given unto you.