[1] Now after a long time, when the Lord had given Israel rest from wars on
every side, and Joshua was old and full of years, [2] Joshua sent for all
Israel, for their responsible men and their chiefs and their judges and
their overseers, and said to them, I am old, and full of years: [3] You
have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations
because of you; for it is the Lord your God who has been fighting for you.
[4] Now I have given to you, as the heritage of your tribes, all these
nations which are still in the land, together with those cut off by me,
from Jordan as far as the Great Sea on the west. [5] The Lord your God will
send them away by force, driving them out before you; and you are to take
their land for your heritage, as the Lord your God said to you. [6] So be
very strong to keep and do whatever is recorded in the book of the law of
Moses, not turning away from it to the right or to the left; [7] Have
nothing to do with these nations who still are living among you; let not
their gods be named by you or used in your oaths; do not be their servants
or give them worship: [8] But be true to the Lord your God as you have been
till this day. [9] For the Lord has sent out from before you nations great
and strong: and they have all given way before you till this day. [10] One
man of you is able to put to flight a thousand; for it is the Lord your God
who is fighting for you, as he has said to you. [11] So keep watch on
yourselves, and see that you have love for the Lord your God. [12] For if
you go back, joining yourselves to the rest of these nations who are still
among you, getting married to them and living with them and they with you:
[13] Then you may be certain that the Lord your God will not go on driving
these nations out from before you; but they will become a danger and a
cause of sin to you, a whip for your sides and thorns in your eyes, till
you are cut off from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.
[14] Now I am about to go the way of all the earth: and you have seen and
are certain, all of you, in your hearts and souls, that in all the good
things which the Lord said about you, he has kept faith with you;
everything has come true for you. [15] And you will see that, as all the
good things which the Lord your God undertook to do for you, have come to
you, so the Lord will send down on you all the evil things till he has made
your destruction complete, and you are cut off from the good land which the
Lord your God has given you. [16] If the agreement of the Lord your God,
which was given to you by his orders, is broken, and you become the
servants of other gods and give them worship, then the wrath of the Lord
will be burning against you, and you will quickly be cut off from the good
land which he has given you.
