Josue 23

¹And when much time passed, after that our Lord had given peace to Israel, all the nations being subdued round about, and Josue now very ancient, and of a great age:

²Josue called all Israel, and the elders, and the Princes, and the judges, and the masters, and said to them: I am old, and far gone in age:

³and you see all things, that our Lord your God hath done to all the nations round about, how himself hath fought for you:

⁴and now because he hath by lot divided to you all the Land, from the East part of Jordan unto the great sea, and many nations yet remain:

⁵Our Lord your God will destroy them, and take them away from your face, and you shall possess the Land, as he hath promised you.

⁶Only take courage, and be careful that you keep all things which be written in the volume of the law of Moyses: and decline not from them neither to the right hand nor to the left:

⁷lest after that you are entered in to the Gentiles, which shall be among you, you swear in the name of their gods, and serve them, and adore them:

⁸but cleave to our Lord your God: which you have done until this day.

⁹And then our Lord God will take away in your sight the great nations and very strong, and no man shall be able to resist you.

¹⁰One of you shall pursue a thousand men of the enemies: because our Lord your God himself will fight for you, as he hath promised.

¹¹This only beware very diligently beforehand, that you love our Lord your God.

¹²But if you will cleave to the error of these nations that dwell among you, and make marriages with them, and join amity:

¹³even now know ye that our Lord your God will not destroy them before your face, but they shall be a pit and a snare for you, and a stumbling block at your side, and stakes in your eyes, till he take you away and destroy you from his excellent Land, which he hath delivered to you.

¹⁴Behold I this day enter into the way of all flesh, and you shall know with all your mind, that all the words which our Lord promised that he would perform to you, one is not escaped without effect.

¹⁵Therefore as he hath fulfilled in deed that which he promised, and all things prosperous have come: so will he bring upon you what evils soever he hath threatened, till he take you away and destroy you from this excellent Land, which he hath delivered to you,

¹⁶because you have transgressed the covenant of our Lord your God, which he hath made with you, and have served strange gods, and adored them: quickly and in haste shall the fury of our Lord rise against you, and you shall be taken away from this excellent Land, which he hath delivered to you.