Joshua Calls Israel to Hold Fast
Joshua, old, gathers the leaders and keeps his warning simple: hold fast, do not intermarry with the remaining nations or their gods. He argues from experience — not one of our Father's promises has failed — and says the harmful words will prove just as reliable.
23 1A long time after our Father gave Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua was old, well along in years. 2Joshua called all Israel—elders, heads, judges, officers—and said, "I am old, far along in years. 3You have seen all your Father did to all these nations for your sake; your Father fought for you. 4Look, I have allotted you, as an inheritance for your tribes, these remaining nations, and all nations I have cut off, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west. 5Your Father himself will push them back and drive them out before you, and you will possess their land, as your Father promised you.
6Be very strong to keep and do all written in the book of the law of Moses, not turning from it right or left. 7Do not mix with these remaining nations among you. Do not mention their gods' names or swear by them; do not serve or bow down to them. 8But hold fast to your Father, as you have done to this day.
9Your Father has driven out great and strong nations before you; no one has stood against you to this day. 10One of you chases 1,000, for your Father himself fights for you, as he promised you. 11So watch yourselves carefully, to love your Father. 12But if you turn back and cling to these remaining nations left among you, intermarry with them, mixing with them and they with you, 13be sure your Father will no longer drive out these nations before you. They will be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land your Father gave you.
14I am now going the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and all your soul that not one of the good things your Father promised about you has failed—all have come true for you; not one has failed. 15Just as every good word your Father spoke to you came true, so he will bring on you every harmful thing, until he destroys you from this good land he gave you. 16If you break your Father's covenant, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow to them, your Father's anger will burn against you, and you will quickly be destroyed from the good land he gave you."
