Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

When many days had passed, the Lord had finally given Israel rest from their enemies on all sides. Joshua was now old and nearing the end of his life.

He gathered all of Israel, calling out their elders, leaders, judges, and officials, saying, "I am old and worn down by age. You have seen with your own eyes everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you; it is the Lord your God who has fought for you. I have divided these remaining nations among you according to their inheritance, from the Jordan River westward to the great sea, including every land that I have conquered.

The Lord your God will drive out these nations before you and expel them from your sight. Be strong and resolute in obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these remaining nations, nor mention their gods, nor swear by them, nor serve them, nor bow down before them.

Cling to the Lord your God as you have up until this day. The Lord has driven out great and powerful nations from before you, but none of you have been able to stand against you. One man among you will chase a thousand, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you as he promised.

Take good care, therefore, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. If you at any time turn back and cling to the remaining nations that are still among you, intermarrying with them and going in to them, then know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you; instead, they will become a snare and a trap to you, a plague.

The Lord your God will not drive out any of these nations from before you, but rather they will be snares and traps to you, causing suffering in your midst until you are completely destroyed from this good land that the Lord your God has given you. Behold, I am going the way of all the earth; you know with all your heart and soul that not one promise spoken by the Lord your God has failed to come to pass.

As all the good things have come upon you from the Lord your God, so he will bring upon you all evil things until he has destroyed you from off this good land that he has given you. When you break faith with the Lord your God who commanded you to follow his covenant, and instead go after other gods and worship them, then the Lord's anger will burn against you, and you will be swiftly destroyed from the good land he has given you."