God Has Fought for You
Study note
A long time had passed since the conquest, and Joshua was near the end of his life. He gathered all the leaders of Israel, including elders, judges, and officials. Joshua reminded them that they had seen with their own eyes everything the Lord had done to the nations of Canaan. He pointed out that God himself had fought for them. Joshua had divided among the tribes both the land already conquered and the land of the nations that still remained. He promised that God would continue to push out the remaining peoples and give Israel full possession of the land.
1 Many years later, the Lord had given Israel lasting peace from all their enemies. Joshua was now very old. 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 Joshua called all the Israelites together — their elders, leaders, judges, and officials. He said, "I am old and have lived a long life." 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 "You have watched with your own eyes everything the Lord your God did to all those nations on your behalf. The Lord your God was the one doing the fighting for you." 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 "I have divided among your tribes all the land of the nations that are still left. I also divided the land of every nation I already defeated. It stretches from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea in the west." 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.
5 "The Lord your God will personally push those nations out of your way and drive them from the land. You will take over their territory, exactly as the Lord your God has promised you." 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.
A Warning to Stay Faithful
Study note
Joshua gave a strong warning: the people must be very strong and careful to obey everything written in the Book of the Law of Moses. They must not turn from it to the right or left. They must not mix with the remaining pagan nations, must not worship their gods or swear by them, and must not intermarry with them. Instead, they must hold fast to the Lord their God, just as they had done so far. Joshua reminded them that one Israelite had been able to chase a thousand enemies because the Lord God fought for them.
6 "So be very strong. Make sure you follow everything written in the Book of the Law of Moses. Do not wander away from it in any direction." 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;
7 "Do not get mixed up with the nations still living among you. Do not speak the names of their gods, do not make promises by them, do not worship them, and do not bow down to them." 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 "Instead, hold tightly to the Lord your God, exactly as you have been doing up to now." But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.
9 "The Lord has driven out large and powerful nations from in front of you. To this day, nobody has been able to stand up against you." 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.
10 "A single one of you can chase a thousand enemies away, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised." One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
11 "So be extremely careful to love the Lord your God." Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
The Consequences of Disobedience
Study note
Joshua warned that if Israel turned away from God and allied themselves with the remaining nations through intermarriage and friendship, God would no longer drive those nations out. Instead, they would become traps, snares, and thorns for Israel until the Israelites disappeared from the good land God had given them. Joshua was about to die, and he wanted to make sure they understood: just as every good promise of God had come true, every warning of judgment would also come true if they broke God's covenant and worshipped other gods. This warning would prove tragically prophetic, as the book of Judges would show.
12 "But what if you turn away? What if you grow close to the nations still living near you? What if you marry into their clans and mix with them?" 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:
13 "then know for certain that the Lord your God will stop driving those nations out of your land. Instead, they will become traps and snares for you, thorns in your sides and stinging pains in your eyes, until you disappear from this good land the Lord your God gave you." 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.
14 "I am about to die, as everyone eventually does. Deep down, you know with every part of your being that not one good promise the Lord your God made to you has ever failed. Every one has come true." 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.
15 "But just as every good promise from the Lord has come true, the Lord will also bring every disaster he warned about if you disobey. He will wipe you off this good land he gave you." 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.
16 "If you break the covenant the Lord your God told you to keep, if you go worship and bow down to foreign gods, the Lord's anger will burn against you. You will quickly vanish from the good land he gave you." When 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.