231 A long time later, after God had given Israel rest from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was a venerable old man, 2 Joshua called all Israel together - elders, chiefs, judges, and officers. Then he spoke to them: 3 You have seen everything that God has done to these nations because of you. He did it because he's God, your God. He fought for you. 4 "Stay alert: I have assigned to you by lot these nations that remain as an inheritance to your tribes - these in addition to the nations I have already cut down - from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west 5 God, your God, will drive them out of your path until there's nothing left of them and you'll take over their land just as God, your God, promised you. 6 "Now, stay strong and steady. Obediently do everything written in the Book of The Revelation of Moses - don't miss a detail. 7 Don't get mixed up with the nations that are still around. Don't so much as speak the names of their gods or swear by them. And by all means don't worship or pray to them. 8 Hold tight to God, your God, just as you've done up to now. 9 "God has driven out superpower nations before you. And up to now, no one has been able to stand up to you. 10 Think of it - one of you, single-handedly, putting a thousand on the run! Because God is God, your God. Because he fights for you, just as he promised you.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Joshua 23:1-10
Commentary on Joshua 23:1-10
(Read Joshua 23:1-10)
Joshua was old and dying, let them observe what he said now. He put them in mind of the great things God had done for them in his days. He exhorted them to be very courageous. Keep with care, do with diligence, and regard with sincerity what is written. Also, very cautiously to endeavour that the heathen idolatry may be forgotten, so that it may never be revived. It is sad that among Christians the names of the heathen gods are so commonly used, and made so familiar as they are. Joshua exhorts them to be very constant. There might be many things amiss among them, but they had not forsaken the Lord their God; the way to make people better, is to make the best of them.