1 Later Jehovah gave Israel security from their enemies all around. By that time Joshua was very old.

2 He called all Israel, the elders, leaders, judges, and officers of the people, and said: »I am very old now.

3 »You have seen everything Jehovah your God has done to all these nations because of you. Jehovah your God fights for you.

4 »I have assigned as the possession of your tribes the land of the nations that are still left, as well as of all the nations that I have already conquered, from the Jordan River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.

5 »Jehovah your God will make them retreat from you. He will drive them away as you advance. You will possess their land, as Jehovah your God promised you.

6 »Be careful to obey and do everything that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses. Do not neglect any of it.

7 »You will not associate with these peoples left among you or speak the names of their gods or use those names in taking vows or worship those gods or bow down to them.

8 »Remain faithful to Jehovah, as you have been until now.

9 »Jehovah has driven great and powerful nations from before you. No one has ever been able to stand against you.

10 »One of you can make a thousand men run away, because Jehovah your God is fighting for you, as he promised.

11 »Take heed of yourselves to love Jehovah your God.

12 »If you are disloyal and join with the nations that are still left among you and intermarry with them,

13 »Jehovah your God will no longer drive these nations out as you advance. Rather, they will be as dangerous for you as a trap or a pit and as painful as a whip on your back or thorns in your eyes. This will last until none of you are left in this good land that Jehovah your God gave you.

14 »It is time for me to die. Every one of you knows in his heart and very being that Jehovah your God has given you all the good things he promised. Every promise he made has been kept; not one has failed.

15 »Just as he kept every promise that he made to you, so he will carry out every threat.

16 »If you do not obey the covenant Jehovah your God commanded you to obey and if you serve and worship other gods, then in his anger he will punish you. Soon none of you will be left in this good land that he gave you.«