1 And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.
The LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. 10:42
Trivia: In Joshua 5:2, God told Joshua to make some sharp knives and do what with them?
23:1-161 And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.
2 And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:
I am getting old. [1]
3 And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.
4 Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.
God has fought for you.
5 And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.
God will expel all of the inhabitants of the land he has given you, as he has promised. [2]
6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;
Be sure to obey everything in the law of Moses.
7 That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
8 But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.
9 For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.
Don't mention the names of other gods.
10One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
Remember that God is fighting for you.So one of you will chase away 1000 of your enemies.
11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
Be sure to love God.
12 Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:
Don't marry or have sex with the inhabitants of the land that God has given you.
13 Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
If you do they'll be thorns in your eyes until you die.
14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
I'm going to die today. [3]
15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
If you disobey God, he will bring all evil things upon you until he has destroyed you.
16When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.
And you'll die quickly.
Joshua's final speech is pretty simple. Obey God and everything will be good with you. God will continue to fight for you, and you will easily destroy all your enemies. (One of your soldiers will defeat a thousand enemy soldiers.)
But if you disobey God by marrying or having sex with non-Israelites, for example, then your enemies will be "thorns in your eyes" until you die. God will "bring upon you all evil things" until he destroys you. (See Lev 26:14-39 and Dt 28:15-68 for the many curses that God will bring upon you for disobeying him.)
Christian Response
