Joshua’s Charge to Leaders

1And after a longe season, whan the LORDE had broughte Israel to rest from all their enemies rounde aboute: and Iosua was now olde and well stricken in age, 2he called all Israel and their Elders, heades, iudges, and officers, and sayde vnto them: I am olde and well aged, 3and ye haue sene all that the LORDE youre God hath done vnto all these nacions in youre sighte. For the LORDE youre God himself hath foughte for you. 4Beholde, I haue parted amonge you ye renaunt of the nacions by lot, vnto euery trybe his enheritaunce from Iordane forth, and all the nacions whom I haue roted out vnto the greate see westwarde. 5And the LORDE youre God shal thrust them out before you, and dryue them awaye from you, that ye maye haue their londe in possession, as the LORDE youre God hath promysed you. 6Be stroge now therfore, that ye maye obserue and do all that is wrytten in the boke of the lawe of Moses: so that ye turne not asyde from it, nether to the righte hande ner to the lefte: 7that ye come not amonge ye remnaunt of these nacios, which are with you: And se that ye make no mencion ner sweare by the names of their goddes, nether serue them, ner bowe youre selues vnto them: 8But cleue vnto the LORDE youre God, as ye haue done vnto this daye: 9the shal the LORDE dryue awaye greate and mightie nacions before you, like as there hath no man bene able to stonde before you vnto this daye. 10One of you shall chace a thousande: for the LORDE youre God fighteth for you, acordinge as he promysed you. 11Take diligent hede therfore vnto youre soules, that ye loue the LORDE youre God. 12But yf ye turne backe, and cleue vnto these other nacions, and make mariages with them, so that ye come amoge them, and they amonge you, 13be ye sure then, that the LORDE youre God shall nomore dryue out all these nacions before you, but they shall be vnto you a snare and net, and prickes in youre sydes, and thornes in youre eyes, vntyll he haue destroyed you from the good lode, which the LORDE youre God hath geuen you.

14Beholde, this daye do I go the waye of all the worlde, and ye shal knowe euen from all youre hert and from all youre soule, that there hath not fayled one worde of all the good that the LORDE youre God promysed you. 15Now like as all the good is come that the LORDE youre God promised you: euen so shal the LORDE cause all euell to come vpon you, tyll he haue destroied you from this good londe, which the LORDE youre God hath geuen you: 16yf ye transgresse ye couenaunt of the LORDE youre God, which he hath commaunded you. And yf ye go yor waye and serue other goddes, and worshipe the, then shall the wrath of the LORDE waxe whote ouer you, & shall shortly destroye you out of the good londe, yt he hath geuen you.