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Chapter 23 |
| 1 | And it came to
pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their
enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. |
| 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 unto them, I am old and
stricken in age: |
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3 | And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath
done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that
hath fought for you. |
| 4 | Behold, I have divided unto 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 unto the great sea westward.
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| 5 | And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive
them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your
God hath promised unto you. |
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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 therefrom to the right hand or to the left; |
| 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 unto them: |
| 8 | But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have
done unto this day. |
| 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 unto this day. |
| 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. |
| 11 |
Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the
LORD your God. |
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12 | Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto
the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make
marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: |
| 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 unto 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. |
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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 spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing
hath failed thereof. |
| 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 have destroyed you from off
this good land which the LORD your God hath given 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 unto you. |
