Joshua's Final Address
Joshua 23, verse 1. Now it came to pass that after many days, the Lord gave rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua was old and advanced in years. Joshua 23, verse 2. So Joshua summoned all the children of Israel and their elders and leaders and their scribes and judges, and said to them, “I am old and advanced in years, Joshua 23, verse 3. and you have seen everything the Lord your God did to all these nations before you, that the Lord your God is He who fought for you. Joshua 23, verse 4. See, I have added to you these nations that are left to you by lots to your tribes, beginning at the Jordan and bordered by the Great Sea westward, all the nations I utterly destroyed before you. Joshua 23, verse 5. For the Lord your God, He will utterly destroy them before you until they perish, and He will send wild animals against them until He utterly destroys them and their kings from before you; and you shall inherit their land as the Lord your God said to you. Joshua 23, verse 6. Therefore strive diligently to keep and to do everything written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right or to the left, Joshua 23, verse 7. and lest you go among these nations, those that remain among you. The names of their gods shall not be mentioned among you, and neither shall you worship them, nor serve them; Joshua 23, verse 8. but you shall cleave to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day. Joshua 23, verse 9. For the Lord has utterly destroyed them before you, great and mighty nations, and no one has stood against you to this day. Joshua 23, verse 10. One of you has chased a thousand, for the Lord your God fought for you, as He said to you. Joshua 23, verse 11. Therefore take great heed to love the Lord your God. Joshua 23, verse 12. For if you turn away and attach yourselves to the remnant of these nations among you, and intermarry and become mingled with them and they with you, Joshua 23, verse 13. know for certain that the Lord will no longer utterly destroy these nations before you; but they shall be snares and traps for you, and nails in your heels and darts in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord your God has given you. Joshua 23, verse 14. “But I am going the way of all those on earth, and you shall know in your heart and soul that not one word has failed of all the words the Lord our God spoke concerning everything that pertains to you. Not one word of them has failed. Joshua 23, verse 15. Therefore it shall come to pass that as all the good things came upon you which the Lord promised you, so the Lord God will bring upon you all the evil things, until He utterly destroys you from this good land which the Lord has given you, Joshua 23, verse 16. when you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and worship them.”