Joshua 23
Open in the reader1A long time after He-Who-Is had given Strives-with-God rest from all the enemies around them, when He-Who-Is-Saves was old and well along in years,
2he summoned all Strives-with-God, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers. “I am old and well along in years,” he said,
3“and you have seen everything that He-Who-Is your God has done to all these nations for your sake, because it was He-Who-Is your God who fought for you.
4See, I have allotted as an inheritance to your tribes these remaining nations, including all the nations I have already cut off, from the Descender westward to the Great Sea.
5He-Who-Is your God will push them out of your way and drive them out before you, so that you can take possession of their land, as He-Who-Is your God promised you.
6Be very strong, then, so that you can keep and obey all that is written in the Book of the Teaching of Drawn-Out, not turning aside from it to the right or to the left.
7So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you. You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or bow down to them.
8Instead, you shall hold fast to He-Who-Is your God, as you have done to this day.
9He-Who-Is has driven out great and powerful nations before you, and to this day no one can stand against you.
10One of you can put a thousand to flight, because He-Who-Is your God fights for you, just as He promised.
11Therefore watch yourselves carefully, that you love He-Who-Is your God.
12For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them,
13know for sure that He-Who-Is your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that He-Who-Is your God has given you.
14Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your heart and soul that not one of the good promises He-Who-Is your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.
15But just as every good thing He-Who-Is your God promised you has come to pass, likewise He-Who-Is will bring upon you the calamity He has threatened, until He has destroyed you from this good land He has given you.
16If you transgress the covenant of He-Who-Is your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of He-Who-Is will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from this good land He has given you.”