Joshua 23:1-12

Joshua Challenges Israel to be Faithful

23:1 A long time passed after the Lord made Israel secure from all their enemies, and Joshua was very old. 23:2 So Joshua summoned all Israel, including the elders, rulers, judges, and leaders, and told them: “I am very old. 23:3 You saw everything the Lord your God did to all these nations on your behalf, for the Lord your God fights for you. 23:4 See, I have parceled out to your tribes these remaining nations, from the Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the nations I defeated. 23:5 The Lord your God will drive them out from before you and remove them, so you can occupy their land as the Lord your God promised you. 23:6 Be very strong! Carefully obey all that is written in the law scroll of Moses so you won’t swerve from it to the right or the left, 23:7 or associate with these nations that remain near you. You must not invoke or make solemn declarations by the names of their gods! You must not worship or bow down to them! 23:8 But you must be loyal to the Lord your God, as you have been to this very day.

23:9 “The Lord drove out from before you great and mighty nations; no one has been able to resist you to this very day. 23:10 One of you makes a thousand run away, for the Lord your God fights for you as he promised you he would. 23:11 Watch yourselves carefully! Love the Lord your God! 23:12 But if you ever turn away and make alliances with these nations that remain near you, and intermarry with them and establish friendly relations with them,