Joshua gathered all the families together and they presented themselves before God.

He told them these words from God: In old times past your fathers lived on the other side of the river and served other gods.

I took Abraham and brought him here and led him through all this most beautiful land and gave him Isaac, laughter, for a son. Then I gave Isaac sons, Jacob and Esau.

 

 

I gave Mt. Seir to Esau to live there but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.

 

I sent Moses and Aaron and struck Egypt with the troubles that I did to them and brought your fathers out of Egypt.

 

 

When you came to the sea, the Egyptians chased after your fathers with chariots and horsemen into the Red Sea.

And when you cried out to Me, I put darkness between you and the Egyptians and then brought the sea upon them and covered them.

Your eyes have seen what I did in Egypt and you lived in the wilderness a long time. Then I brought you into the land of the Amorites and they fought with you but I gave them into your hand so that you could take and live in their land. I wiped them out before you.

And when the king of Moab called Balaam to curse you, I would not listen to him, but blessed you instead. I saved you from him and you crossed Jordan and came to Jericho.

All the people that fought with you, I delivered them into your hand and I sent hornets into the land to drive everyone away.

 

 

I have given you land that you did not work for and cities that you did not build. You live in them.

You eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant. So keep true to the Lord. Lift your hearts up to only Him. Throw away the gods that your fathers served on the other side of the river and in Egypt. Serve only the Lord.

Joshua said, If it seems bad to you to serve the Lord, choose today who you will serve, but me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

The people answered Joshua, Never! We will never forsake the Lord to bow down to other gods. For the Lord our God is the One who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from being slaves.

And He did those great signs that we saw and kept us alive all the way through all the people that we passed through. And He drove out all the people before us. So we will serve the Lord because He is our God.

Joshua told them, You can’t serve Him because He is holy and He is jealous. If you turn from Him and serve gods from other countries He will turn and hurt you, after all the good He has done you.

 

 

 

The people said, No, we will serve Him.

 

 

So Joshua wrote all the words in the book of the rules of God and took a great stone and made a promise under the oak tree that was by the Lord’s house.

This stone is the witness of what you have promised today. And it has heard all the words that God has spoken to us.

 

 

Then Joshua let the people go, each man to his inherited land.

 

 

 

Joshua was 110 years old when he died and was buried in his mountain.

And Joseph’s bones were buried in the special piece of land that Jacob had promised to Joseph, that he took with his bow and arrow.

 

The children of Israel kept their hearts to the Lord as long as Joshua lived and the leaders that were with Joshua.