Joshua 23

And 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.

1A long time passed. God had given Israel rest from all the enemies around them. By now Joshua, their leader, was very old.

2And 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:

2Joshua called all Israel together. He called the elders, the leaders, the judges, and the officers. He said, "I am old now."

3And 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.

3"You saw what the LORD your God did to all these nations for you. The LORD your God is the one who fought for you."

4Behold, 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.

4"I have divided the land that is left. Each family group got a share. It reaches from the Jordan River west to the Great Sea. Some nations I already drove out."

5And 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.

5"The LORD your God will push those nations out of your way. He will drive them off. Then the land will be yours, just as he promised."

6Be 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;

6"So be very brave. Keep every word written in the book of the law of Moses. Do not turn away from it, not to the right or the left."

Note"Be very courageous" here means be strong and firm in keeping the law, not brave in battle.

7That 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:

7"Do not mix with the nations still living near you. Do not even say their gods' names. Do not make promises using those names. Do not serve those gods or bow down to them."

8But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.

8"Instead, hold on tight to the LORD your God, just as you have done until today."

9For 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.

9"The LORD drove out big, strong nations for you. And no one has been able to beat you, even now."

10One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

10"One of you can chase away a thousand enemies. That is because the LORD your God fights for you, just as he promised."

11Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.

11"So watch yourselves carefully. Love the LORD your God."

12Else 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:

12"But you might turn away from him. You might join with the nations still living near you. You might marry them and mix your families with theirs."

13Know 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.

13"If you do, know this for sure. The LORD your God will stop driving those nations out. They will become a trap for you. They will hurt you like a whip on your sides. They will hurt you like thorns in your eyes. You will die and lose this good land the LORD your God gave you."

NoteA "scourge" is a whip. Joshua is using word pictures: the nations will hurt Israel the way a whip or a thorn hurts.

14And, 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.

14"Today I am going the way everyone on earth goes. I am about to die. You know deep down that God kept every good promise he made to you. Every one came true. Not one of them failed."

Note"Going the way of all the earth" was a gentle way of saying "I am going to die soon."

15Therefore 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.

15"God's good promises all came true. In the same way, God will bring the bad things he warned about. He will do this until you are gone from this good land he gave you."

16When 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.

16"That will happen if you break the agreement the LORD your God made with you. It will happen if you serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the LORD will be very angry with you. You will quickly be gone from this good land he gave you."