Joshua 23

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Now a long time passed, after the Lord had given peace to Israel by subjecting all the surrounding nations. And Joshua was now old and very advanced in age.	1 Many years later, after the LORD had given the Israelites rest from all their enemies round about them, and when Joshua was old and advanced in years,
2 Joshua called all of Israel, and those greater by birth, and the leaders and rulers and teachers, and he said to them: “I am elderly and advanced in age.	2 he summoned all Israel (including their elders, leaders, judges and officers) and said to them: "I am old and advanced in years.
3 And you yourselves discern all that the Lord your God has done with all the surrounding nations, in what manner he himself has fought for you.	3 You have seen all that the LORD, your God, has done for you against all these nations; for it has been the LORD, your God, himself who fought for you.
4 And now, since he has divided to you by lot all the land, from the eastern part of the Jordan even to the great sea, and yet many nations still remain,	4 Bear in mind that I have apportioned among your tribes as their heritage the nations that survive (as well as those I destroyed) between the Jordan and the Great Sea in the west.
5 the Lord your God will destroy them, and he will take them away before your face, and you shall possess the land, just as he has promised you.	5 The LORD, your God, will drive them out and dislodge them at your approach, so that you will take possession of their land as the LORD, your God, promised you.
6 Even so, be strengthened and be careful that you observe all the things that have been written in the book of the law of Moses, and that you do not turn aside from them, neither to the right, nor to the left.	6 Therefore strive hard to observe and carry out all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, not straying from it in any way,
7 Otherwise, after you have entered to the Gentiles, who will be among you in the future, you might swear by the name of their gods, and serve them, and adore them.	7 or mingling with these nations while they survive among you. You must not invoke their gods, or swear by them, or serve them, or worship them,
8 Instead, cling to the Lord your God, just as you have done even to this day.	8 but you must remain loyal to the LORD, your God, as you have been to this day.
9 And then the Lord God will take away, in your sight, nations that are great and very robust, and no one will be able to withstand you.	9 At your approach the LORD has driven out large and strong nations, and to this day no one has withstood you.
10 One of you shall pursue a thousand men of the enemies. For the Lord your God himself will fight on your behalf, just as he promised.	10 One of you puts to flight a thousand, because it is the LORD, your God, himself who fights for you, as he promised you.
11 Even so, be very diligent and careful in this: that you love the Lord your God.	11 Take great care, however, to love the LORD, your God.
12 But if you choose to cling to the errors of these nations that live among you, and to mix with them by marriage, and to join with them by friendship,	12 For if you ever abandon him and ally yourselves with the remnant of these nations while they survive among you, by intermarrying and intermingling with them,
13 even now, know this: that the Lord your God will not wipe them away before your face. Instead, they shall be a pit and a snare to you, and a stumbling block at your side, and stakes in your eyes, until he takes you away and scatters you from this excellent land, which he has delivered to you.	13 know for certain that the LORD, your God, will no longer drive these nations out of your way. Instead they will be a snare and a trap for you, a scourge for your sides and thorns for your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the LORD, your God, has given you.
14 Lo, today I am entering the way of the entire earth, and you shall know with all your mind that, out of all the words that the Lord has promised to fulfill for you, not one will pass by unfulfilled.	14 "Today, as you see, I am going the way of all men. So now acknowledge with your whole heart and soul that not one of all the promises the LORD, your God, made to you has remained unfulfilled. Every promise has been fulfilled for you, with not one single exception.
15 Therefore, just as he has fulfilled in deed what he has promised, and all prosperous things have arrived, so will he bring upon you whatever evils were threatened, until he takes you away and scatters you from this excellent land, which he has delivered to you,	15 But just as every promise the LORD, your God, made to you has been fulfilled for you, so will he fulfill every threat, even so far as to exterminate you from this good land which the LORD, your God, has given you.
16 when you will have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your God, which he has formed with you, and will have served strange gods, and will have adored them. And then the fury of the Lord will rise up quickly and speedily against you, and you will be taken away from this excellent land, which he has delivered to you.”	16 If you transgress the covenant of the LORD, your God, which he enjoined on you, serve other gods and worship them, the anger of the LORD will flare up against you and you will quickly perish from the good land which he has given you."