Joshua 23

1 And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their enemies on all sides, that Joshua became old and advanced in years.

Yahweh enabled the Israelis to live peacefully [for many years] with the people-groups that were around them.

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 to them, I am old and advanced in years:

Joshua was now very old. [One day] he summoned the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the leaders of the clans, the judges, and [other] officials. He said to them, “I am now very old.

3 And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done to all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.

You people have seen what Yahweh our God has done to help you defeat the people-groups [that lived in this land]. Yahweh our God has fought for you.

4 Behold, I have divided to 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 to the great sea westward.

But do not forget that he has given to you all this land, from the Jordan [River in the east] to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, all this land that I have allotted to you.

5 And the LORD your God, he shall drive them out from before you, and drive them from your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised to you.

Yahweh our God will compel the people who are still living there to leave. He will push them out as you advance. Then the land will be yours, as Yahweh has promised 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 from it to the right hand or to the left;

“Be sure that you obey all the laws that are in the book that Moses wrote. Do not disobey any part of it [IDM].

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 to them:

Do not associate with the people who live among us [who are not Israelis and who worship other gods]. Do not mention the names of their gods, and do not use the names of their gods when you promise to do something. Do not serve their gods or worship them.

8 But hold fast to the LORD your God, as ye have done to this day.

You must continue to do what Yahweh our God wants us to do, as you have been doing.

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 to this day.

“Yahweh has forced [many] very powerful people-groups to leave as you advanced. No people-group has been able to defeat you.

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.

Each of you will be able to cause 1,000 of them to run away, because Yahweh your God will fight for you, just like he promised to do.

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

So be sure that you continue to love Yahweh our God.

12 Else if ye do in any way go back, and follow after the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and associate with them, and they with you:

“If you turn away from doing what Yahweh desires and you associate with the people who are not Israelis, and if you marry them,

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 to 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.

then you can be sure that Yahweh our God will not help you to expel those people-groups from your land. They will be [like] traps [DOU, MET] [that will catch you]. They will be [like] whips [that strike] your backs, and like thorns [that will scratch] your eyes. As a result, none of you will be left in this good land that Yahweh our God is giving to 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 spoke concerning you; all are come to pass to you, and not one thing hath failed of it.

“It is almost time for me to die, like everyone does [EUP]. You know in your hearts [DOU] that Yahweh has done for you [LIT] everything that he promised to do.

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 hath destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

He has given to you all the good things that he promised. In the same way, the other things that he promised, [things that are not good], will also happen. He said that if you do what is evil, he will get rid of you and send you away from this good land that he has given to 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 to you.

That will happen if you do not obey the commands that Yahweh our God told you to obey. If you serve other gods and worship them, Yahweh will become very angry with you. Very quickly [he will expel you from] this good land that he has given to you, [and] none of you will be left here.”