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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 23
Joshua exhorts Israel to be courageous; keep the commandments; love the
Lord; and neither marry among nor cleave unto remnants of Canaanites who
remain in land—When Israel serves other gods, they shall be cursed and
dispossessed.
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1 AND it came to pass a
long time after that the LORD had given arest unto Israel
from all their enemies round about, that bJoshua 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:
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.
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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 agreat
sea westward.
5 And the LORD your God, he shall
aexpel 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.
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6 Be ye therefore very acourageous
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;
7 That ye come not among these nations, these that
remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their
agodsa, nor cause to
swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
8 But acleave unto the LORD your
God, as ye have done unto this day.
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7a neither make mention of the name of
their gods This was but the first of the list which included not
to swear (oaths/covenants) by them, serve them or worship them. Certainly by
the time of King Solomon this commanded warning of Joshua was set aside as
Solomon let the worship of other gods in among Israel and into his own
house, not to mention the adoption of the false god of Israel in the north.
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9 For the LORD hath driven out from before you great
nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to
astand before you unto this day.
10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the
LORD your God, he it is that afighteth for you, as
he hath bpromised you.
11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
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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 amarriages with them, and go in unto them,
and they to 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 ascourges in your sides,
and bthorns in your eyes, until ye
cperish from off this good land which the LORD your God
hath given you.
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14 And, behold, this day I am going the
away 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
bgood things which the LORD your God spake concerning you;
all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as
all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God
apromised 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.
16 When ye have atransgressed 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
bgood land which he hath given unto you.
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