Joshua’s Charge to Leaders

1  וַֽיְהִי֙ (And it came to pass), מִיָּמִ֣ים (a time) רַבִּ֔ים (long) אַ֠חֲרֵי (after) אֲשֶׁר־ (when) הֵנִ֨יחַ (had given rest) יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH) לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל (to Israel) מִכָּל־ (from all) אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם (their enemies) מִסָּבִ֑יב (round about), וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ (that Joshua) זָקֵ֔ן (was old) בָּ֖א (he had entered) בַּיָּמִֽים׃ (into days). 2  וַיִּקְרָ֤א (And called) יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ (Joshua) לְכָל־ (for all) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel), לִזְקֵנָיו֙ (for its elders), וּלְרָאשָׁ֔יו (and for its heads), וּלְשֹׁפְטָ֖יו (and for its judges), וּלְשֹֽׁטְרָ֑יו (and for its officers), וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (and he said) אֲלֵהֶ֔ם (to them), אֲנִ֣י (I) זָקַ֔נְתִּי (have become old); בָּ֖אתִי (I have entered) בַּיָּמִֽים׃ (into days). 3  וְאַתֶּ֣ם (And You⁺) רְאִיתֶ֗ם (have seen) אֵת֩ (-) כָּל־ (all) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) עָשָׂ֜ה (has done) יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֛ם (your⁺ God) לְכָל־ (to all) הַגּוֹיִ֥ם (the nations) הָאֵ֖לֶּה (these) מִפְּנֵיכֶ֑ם (before your⁺ faces), כִּ֚י (for) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם (your⁺ God is) ה֖וּא (He) הַנִּלְחָ֥ם (who has fought) לָכֶֽם׃ (for you⁺).

4  רְאוּ֩ (See), הִפַּ֨לְתִּי (I have divided by lot) לָכֶ֜ם (to you⁺) אֶֽת־ (-) הַ֠גּוֹיִם (the nations) הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֥ים (remaining) הָאֵ֛לֶּה (these), בְּנַחֲלָ֖ה (to be an inheritance) לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶ֑ם (for your⁺ tribes) מִן־ (from) הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן (the Jordan), וְכָל־ (and with all) הַגּוֹיִם֙ (the nations) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) הִכְרַ֔תִּי (I have cut off), וְהַיָּ֥ם (and as far as the Sea) הַגָּד֖וֹל (Great) מְב֥וֹא (toward the setting) הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (of the sun). 5  וַיהוָ֣ה (And YHWH) אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם (your⁺ God), ה֚וּא (He) יֶהְדֳּפֵ֣ם (will expel them) מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם (from before you⁺) וְהוֹרִ֥ישׁ (and drive) אֹתָ֖ם (them) מִלִּפְנֵיכֶ֑ם (out of your⁺ sight); וִֽירִשְׁתֶּם֙ (and you⁺ shall possess) אֶת־ (-) אַרְצָ֔ם (their land) כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (as) דִּבֶּ֛ר (has spoken) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם (your⁺ God) לָכֶֽם׃ (to you⁺).

6  וַחֲזַקְתֶּ֣ם (And be courageous) מְאֹ֔ד (very) לִשְׁמֹ֣ר (to keep) וְלַעֲשׂ֔וֹת (and to do) אֵ֚ת (-) כָּל־ (everything) הַכָּת֔וּב (written) בְּסֵ֖פֶר (in the Book) תּוֹרַ֣ת (of the Law) מֹשֶׁ֑ה (of Moses), לְבִלְתִּ֥י (lest) סוּר־ (you turn aside) מִמֶּ֖נּוּ (from it) יָמִ֥ין (to the right hand) וּשְׂמֹֽאול׃ (or to the left), 7  לְבִלְתִּי־ (and lest) בוֹא֙ (you go) בַּגּוֹיִ֣ם (among nations) הָאֵ֔לֶּה (these) הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֥ים (remaining), הָאֵ֖לֶּה (these) אִתְּכֶ֑ם (among you⁺), וּבְשֵׁ֨ם (and of the name) אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֤ם (of their gods) לֹא־ (not) תַזְכִּ֙ירוּ֙ (you⁺ shall mention) וְלֹ֣א (and not) תַשְׁבִּ֔יעוּ (cause one to swear by them), וְלֹ֣א (and not) תַעַבְד֔וּם (you⁺ shall serve them) וְלֹ֥א (and not) תִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ (bow down) לָהֶֽם׃ (to them). 8  כִּ֛י (For) אִם־ (but) בַּיהוָ֥ה (to YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם (your⁺ God) תִּדְבָּ֑קוּ (you⁺ shall hold fast), כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (as) עֲשִׂיתֶ֔ם (you⁺ have done) עַ֖ד (to) הַיּ֥וֹם (the day) הַזֶּֽה׃ (this).

9  וַיּ֤וֹרֶשׁ (And for has driven out) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם (from before you⁺) גּוֹיִ֖ם (nations) גְּדֹלִ֣ים (great) וַעֲצוּמִ֑ים (and mighty); וְאַתֶּ֗ם (and as for you⁺), לֹא־ (not) עָ֤מַד (has been able to stand) אִישׁ֙ (a man) בִּפְנֵיכֶ֔ם (against you⁺) עַ֖ד (to) הַיּ֥וֹם (the day) הַזֶּֽה׃ (this). 10  אִישׁ־ (Man) אֶחָ֥ד (one) מִכֶּ֖ם (of you⁺) יִרְדָּף־ (shall chase) אָ֑לֶף (a thousand), כִּ֣י׀ (for) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֗ם (your⁺ God) ה֚וּא (is He) הַנִּלְחָ֣ם (who is fighting) לָכֶ֔ם (for you⁺) כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר (as) דִּבֶּ֥ר (He promised) לָכֶֽם׃ (to you⁺). 11  וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם (And take heed) מְאֹ֖ד (exceedingly) לְנַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֑ם (to yourselves), לְאַהֲבָ֖ה (that you love) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (your⁺ God). 12  כִּ֣י׀ (For) אִם־ (if) שׁ֣וֹב (turning) תָּשׁ֗וּבוּ (you⁺ turn back) וּדְבַקְתֶּם֙ (and cling) בְּיֶ֙תֶר֙ (to the remnant) הַגּוֹיִ֣ם (of nations) הָאֵ֔לֶּה (these) הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֥ים (that remain), הָאֵ֖לֶּה (these) אִתְּכֶ֑ם (among you⁺), וְהִֽתְחַתַּנְתֶּ֥ם (and make marriages) בָּהֶ֛ם (with them) וּבָאתֶ֥ם (and go in) בָּהֶ֖ם (to them), וְהֵ֥ם (and they) בָּכֶֽם׃ (to you⁺). 13  יָד֙וֹעַ֙ (Knowing) תֵּֽדְע֔וּ (know) כִּי֩ (that) לֹ֨א (no) יוֹסִ֜יף (longer) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֗ם (your⁺ God) לְהוֹרִ֛ישׁ (will drive out) אֶת־ (-) הַגּוֹיִ֥ם (the nations) הָאֵ֖לֶּה (these) מִלִּפְנֵיכֶ֑ם (from before you⁺), וְהָי֨וּ (and they shall be) לָכֶ֜ם (to you⁺) לְפַ֣ח (snares) וּלְמוֹקֵ֗שׁ (and traps) וּלְשֹׁטֵ֤ט (and scourges) בְּצִדֵּיכֶם֙ (on your⁺ sides), וְלִצְנִנִ֣ים (and thorns) בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֔ם (in your⁺ eyes), עַד־ (until) אֲבָדְכֶ֗ם (you⁺ perish) מֵ֠עַל (from) הָאֲדָמָ֤ה (the land) הַטּוֹבָה֙ (good) הַזֹּ֔את (this), אֲשֶׁר֙ (that) נָתַ֣ן (has given) לָכֶ֔ם (to you⁺) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (your⁺ God).

14  וְהִנֵּ֨ה (And behold), אָנֹכִ֤י (I am) הוֹלֵךְ֙ (going) הַיּ֔וֹם (this day) בְּדֶ֖רֶךְ (the way) כָּל־ (of all) הָאָ֑רֶץ (the earth), וִידַעְתֶּ֞ם (and you⁺ know) בְּכָל־ (in all) לְבַבְכֶ֣ם (your⁺ hearts) וּבְכָל־ (and in all) נַפְשְׁכֶ֗ם (your⁺ souls) כִּ֣י (that) לֹֽא־ (not) נָפַל֩ (has failed) דָּבָ֨ר (thing) אֶחָ֜ד (one) מִכֹּ֣ל׀ (of all) הַדְּבָרִ֣ים (the things) הַטּוֹבִ֗ים (good) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) דִּבֶּ֜ר (has spoken) יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶם֙ (your⁺ God) עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם (concerning you⁺). הַכֹּל֙ (All) בָּ֣אוּ (have come to pass) לָכֶ֔ם (for you⁺); לֹֽא־ (not) נָפַ֥ל (has failed) מִמֶּ֖נּוּ (of them) דָּבָ֥ר (word) אֶחָֽד׃ (one). 15  וְהָיָ֗ה (And it will come to pass) כַּאֲשֶׁר־ (that as) בָּ֤א (have come) עֲלֵיכֶם֙ (upon you⁺) כָּל־ (all) הַדָּבָ֣ר (the things) הַטּ֔וֹב (good) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) דִּבֶּ֛ר (has spoken) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם (your⁺ God) אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם (to you⁺), כֵּן֩ (so) יָבִ֨יא (will bring) יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) עֲלֵיכֶ֗ם (upon you⁺) אֵ֚ת (-) כָּל־ (all) הַדָּבָ֣ר (the word) הָרָ֔ע (of evil), עַד־ (until) הַשְׁמִיד֣וֹ (He has destroyed) אוֹתְכֶ֗ם (you⁺) מֵ֠עַל (from) הָאֲדָמָ֤ה (the land) הַטּוֹבָה֙ (good) הַזֹּ֔את (this) אֲשֶׁר֙ (that) נָתַ֣ן (has given) לָכֶ֔ם (to you⁺) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (your⁺ God). 16  בְּ֠עָבְרְכֶם (In your⁺ transgressing) אֶת־ (-) בְּרִ֨ית (the covenant) יְהוָ֥ה (of YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶם֮ (your⁺ God) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) צִוָּ֣ה (He commanded) אֶתְכֶם֒ (you⁺), וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֗ם (and have gone) וַעֲבַדְתֶּם֙ (and served) אֱלֹהִ֣ים (gods) אֲחֵרִ֔ים (other) וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם (and bowed down) לָהֶ֑ם (to them), וְחָרָ֤ה (and will burn) אַף־ (the anger) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH) בָּכֶ֔ם (against you⁺), וַאֲבַדְתֶּ֣ם (and you⁺ shall perish) מְהֵרָ֔ה (quickly) מֵעַל֙ (from) הָאָ֣רֶץ (the land) הַטּוֹבָ֔ה (good) אֲשֶׁ֖ר (that) נָתַ֥ן (He has given) לָכֶֽם׃פ (to you⁺).