Joshua 23:11-16

11 Be ye ware before most diligently of this thing only, that ye love your Lord God. (But be ye ware, that ye do this thing most diligently, that ye love the Lord your God.)

12 That if ye will cleave to the errors of these folks that dwell among you, and will meddle marriages with them, and couple friendships, (But if ye cleave to the errors of these people who live among you, and will mix marriages with them, and couple friendships,)

13 know ye right now, that the Lord your God shall not do away them before your face, but they shall be to you into a ditch, and into a snare, and into hurting of your side, and into stakes in your eyes, till your Lord God take away you, and destroy you from this best land, which he gave to you. (then know ye right now, that the Lord your God shall not do them away from before your face, but they shall be for you a ditch, and a snare, and a hurting to your side, and stakes in your eyes, until the Lord your God shall take you away, and destroy you from off this best land, which he gave to you.)

14 Lo! I enter today into the way of all (the) earth, for soon I shall die, as each man shall; and ye shall know with all (your) soul, that of all [the] words which the Lord promised himself to give to you, not one passed (away) in vain. (Lo! I go today the way of all people upon the earth, for soon I shall die, as each person shall; and ye know with all your soul, that of all the things which the Lord promised to give you, not one thing hath been left void, or undone.

15 Therefore as he [ful]filled in work that, that he promised, and all things befelled by prosperity, so he shall bring on you whatever thing of evils he menaced, till he take away you, and destroy (you) from this best land, which he gave to you. (And so as he hath fulfilled with deeds what he promised, and all things have befallen with prosperity, so he shall also bring upon you whatever evil things that he threatened, until he shall take you away, and destroy you from off this best land, which he gave to you.)

16 For ye brake the covenant of your Lord God, which he made with you, and served alien gods, and worshipped them, soon and swiftly the strong vengeance of the Lord shall rise onto you; and ye shall be taken away from this best land, which he gave to you. (For if ye break the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and serve foreign, or other, gods, and worship them, then the strong vengeance of the Lord shall soon rise up against you; and ye shall swiftly be taken away from off this best land, which he gave to you.)

Joshua 23:11-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 23

Joshua being old, convenes the states of Israel a little before his death, Jos 23:1,2; and in his address to them observes what God had done for them, and would do, Jos 23:3-5; and exhorts them to keep the commandments of God, and cleave to him, and not to mix with the Gentiles, and join with them in idolatrous practices, and then it would be well with them, Jos 23:6-11; but otherwise should they join with them, and depart from the Lord, who had so faithfully and punctually performed every good thing he had promised them, they might expect all evils and calamities, utter ruin and destruction, to befall them, Jos 23:12-16.