Joshua 23:1-9

1 A long time later, after God had given Israel rest from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was a venerable old man,

2 Joshua called all Israel together - elders, chiefs, judges, and officers. Then he spoke to them:

3 You have seen everything that God has done to these nations because of you. He did it because he's God, your God. He fought for you.

4 "Stay alert: I have assigned to you by lot these nations that remain as an inheritance to your tribes - these in addition to the nations I have already cut down - from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west

5 God, your God, will drive them out of your path until there's nothing left of them and you'll take over their land just as God, your God, promised you.

6 "Now, stay strong and steady. Obediently do everything written in the Book of The Revelation of Moses - don't miss a detail.

7 Don't get mixed up with the nations that are still around. Don't so much as speak the names of their gods or swear by them. And by all means don't worship or pray to them.

8 Hold tight to God, your God, just as you've done up to now.

9 "God has driven out superpower nations before you. And up to now, no one has been able to stand up to you.

Joshua 23:1-9 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.