Chapter 23

  Now after a long time, when the Lord had given Israel rest from wars on every side, and Joshua was old and full of years,  

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  Joshua sent for all Israel, for their responsible men and their chiefs and their judges and their overseers, and said to them, I am old, and full of years:  

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  You have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you; for it is the Lord your God who has been fighting for you.  

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  Now I have given to you, as the heritage of your tribes, all these nations which are still in the land, together with those cut off by me, from Jordan as far as the Great Sea on the west.  

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  The Lord your God will send them away by force, driving them out before you; and you are to take their land for your heritage, as the Lord your God said to you.  

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  So be very strong to keep and do whatever is recorded in the book of the law of Moses, not turning away from it to the right or to the left;  

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  Have nothing to do with these nations who still are living among you; let not their gods be named by you or used in your oaths; do not be their servants or give them worship:  

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  But be true to the Lord your God as you have been till this day.  

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  For the Lord has sent out from before you nations great and strong: and they have all given way before you till this day.  

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  One man of you is able to put to flight a thousand; for it is the Lord your God who is fighting for you, as he has said to you.  

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  So keep watch on yourselves, and see that you have love for the Lord your God.  

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  For if you go back, joining yourselves to the rest of these nations who are still among you, getting married to them and living with them and they with you:  

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  Then you may be certain that the Lord your God will not go on driving these nations out from before you; but they will become a danger and a cause of sin to you, a whip for your sides and thorns in your eyes, till you are cut off from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.  

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  Now I am about to go the way of all the earth: and you have seen and are certain, all of you, in your hearts and souls, that in all the good things which the Lord said about you, he has kept faith with you; everything has come true for you.  

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  And you will see that, as all the good things which the Lord your God undertook to do for you, have come to you, so the Lord will send down on you all the evil things till he has made your destruction complete, and you are cut off from the good land which the Lord your God has given you.  

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  If the agreement of the Lord your God, which was given to you by his orders, is broken, and you become the servants of other gods and give them worship, then the wrath of the Lord will be burning against you, and you will quickly be cut off from the good land which he has given you.  

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