Focused Passage

Joshua 23:12-16

Joshua’s Farewell Charge: Hold Fast to the LORD and Do Not Turn Back

Joshua gathers Israel’s leaders, reminds them that the LORD has fought for them, commands them to hold fast to the LORD and avoid the remaining nations, and warns that covenant unfaithfulness will bring loss of the land just as surely as God’s good promises have been fulfilled.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

12For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them,

13know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you.

14Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your heart and soul that not one of the good promises the LORD your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.

15But just as every good thing the LORD your God promised you has come to pass, likewise the LORD will bring upon you the calamity He has threatened, until He has destroyed you from this good land He has given you.

16If you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from this good land He has given you.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 12

Original words

Forכִּ֣י׀H3588Conjunctionifאִם־H518Conjunctionyou turn awayשׁ֣וֹבH7725Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .תָּשׁ֗וּבוּH7725Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluraland clingוּדְבַקְתֶּם֙H1692Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralto the restבְּיֶ֙תֶר֙H3499Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof theseהָאֵ֔לֶּהH428Article | Pronoun - common pluralnationsהַגּוֹיִ֣םH1471Article | Noun - masculine pluralthat remainהַנִּשְׁאָרִ֥יםH7604Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural. . .הָאֵ֖לֶּהH428Article | Pronoun - common pluralamong youאִתְּכֶ֑םH854Preposition | second person masculine pluraland if you intermarryוְהִֽתְחַתַּנְתֶּ֥םH2859Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluraland associateוּבָאתֶ֥םH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralwith themוְהֵ֥םH1992Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Verse 13

Original words

know for sureיָד֙וֹעַ֙H3045Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .תֵּֽדְע֔וּH3045Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralthatכִּי֩H3588Conjunctionthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֵיכֶ֗םH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralwill noלֹ֨אH3808Adverb - Negative particlelongerיוֹסִ֜יףH3254Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singulardrive outלְהוֹרִ֛ישׁH3423Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructtheseהָאֵ֖לֶּהH428Article | Pronoun - common pluralnationsהַגּוֹיִ֥םH1471Article | Noun - masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerbefore youמִלִּפְנֵיכֶ֑םH6440Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralInstead, they will becomeוְהָי֨וּH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralfor youלָכֶ֜םPreposition | second person masculine plurala snareלְפַ֣חH6341Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularand a trapוּלְמוֹקֵ֗שׁH4170Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singulara scourgeוּלְשֹׁטֵ֤טH7850Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularin your sidesבְּצִדֵּיכֶם֙H6654Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluraland thornsוְלִצְנִנִ֣יםH6796Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine pluralin your eyesבְּעֵינֵיכֶ֔םH5869Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | second person masculine pluraluntilעַד־H5704Prepositionyou perishאֲבָדְכֶ֗םH6Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine pluralfromמֵ֠עַלH5921Preposition-mthisהַזֹּ֔אתH2063Article | Pronoun - feminine singulargoodהַטּוֹבָה֙H2896Article | Adjective - feminine singularlandהָאֲדָמָ֤הH127Article | Noun - feminine singularthatאֲשֶׁר֙H834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralhas givenנָתַ֣ןH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularyouלָכֶ֔םPreposition | second person masculine plural
Verse 14

Original words

Now beholdוְהִנֵּ֨הH2009Conjunctive waw | Interjectiontodayהַיּ֔וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singularIאָנֹכִ֤יH595Pronoun - first person common singularam goingהוֹלֵךְ֙H1980Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularthe wayבְּדֶ֖רֶךְH1870Preposition-b | Noun - common singular constructof allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe earthהָאָ֑רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularand you knowוִידַעְתֶּ֞םH3045Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralwith allבְּכָל־H3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructyour heartלְבַבְכֶ֣םH3824Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural[and]וּבְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructsoulנַפְשְׁכֶ֗םH5315Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine pluralthatכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionnotלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleדָּבָ֨רדָּבָ֨רH1697Noun - masculine singularoneאֶחָ֜דH259Number - masculine singularמִכֹּ֣ל׀מִכֹּ֣ל׀H3605Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof the goodהַטּוֹבִ֗יםH2896Article | Adjective - masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativepromisesהַדְּבָרִ֣יםH1697Article | Noun - masculine pluralthe LORDיְהוָ֤הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֵיכֶם֙H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralmadeדִּבֶּ֜רH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularto youעֲלֵיכֶ֔םH5921Preposition | second person masculine pluralhas failedנָפַל֩H5307Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularEverythingהַכֹּל֙H3605Article | Noun - masculine singularwas fulfilledבָּ֣אוּH935Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralfor youלָכֶ֔םPreposition | second person masculine pluralnotלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleoneאֶחָֽד׃H259Number - masculine singularמִמֶּ֖נּוּמִמֶּ֖נּוּH4480Preposition | third person masculine singularpromiseדָּבָ֥רH1697Noun - masculine singularhas failedנָפַ֥לH5307Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 15

Original words

-וְהָיָ֗הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularBut just asכַּאֲשֶׁר־H834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative-עֲלֵיכֶם֙H5921Preposition | second person masculine pluraleveryכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructgoodהַטּ֔וֹבH2896Article | Adjective - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativethingהַדָּבָ֣רH1697Article | Noun - masculine singularthe LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖םH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralpromisedדִּבֶּ֛רH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularyouאֲלֵיכֶ֑םH413Preposition | second person masculine pluralhas come to passבָּ֤אH935Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularlikewiseכֵּן֩H3651Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֜הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwill bringיָבִ֨יאH935Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularupon youעֲלֵיכֶ֗םH5921Preposition | second person masculine plural-אֵ֚תH853Direct object marker-כָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe calamity He has threatenedהָרָ֔עH7451Article | Adjective - masculine singularהַדָּבָ֣רהַדָּבָ֣רH1697Article | Noun - masculine singularuntilעַד־H5704PrepositionHe has destroyedהַשְׁמִיד֣וֹH8045Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularyouאוֹתְכֶ֗םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine pluralfromמֵ֠עַלH5921Preposition-mthisהַזֹּ֔אתH2063Article | Pronoun - feminine singular-אֲשֶׁר֙H834Pronoun - relativegoodהַטּוֹבָה֙H2896Article | Adjective - feminine singularlandהָאֲדָמָ֤הH127Article | Noun - feminine singular[He]יְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralhas givenנָתַ֣ןH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularyouלָכֶ֔םPreposition | second person masculine plural
Verse 16

Original words

If you transgressבְּ֠עָבְרְכֶםH5674Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe covenantבְּרִ֨יתH1285Noun - feminine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֵיכֶם֮H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralwhichאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeHe commanded youצִוָּ֣הH6680Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular-אֶתְכֶם֒H853Direct object marker | second person masculine pluraland goוַהֲלַכְתֶּ֗םH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluraland serveוַעֲבַדְתֶּם֙H5647Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralotherאֲחֵרִ֔יםH312Adjective - masculine pluralgodsאֱלֹהִ֣יםH430Noun - masculine pluraland bow downוְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖םH7812Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralto themלָהֶ֑םPreposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralthen the angerאַף־H639Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwill burnוְחָרָ֤הH2734Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularagainst youבָּכֶ֔םPreposition | second person masculine pluraland you will quicklyמְהֵרָ֔הH4120Adverbperishוַאֲבַדְתֶּ֣םH6Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralfromמֵעַל֙H5921Preposition-mthis goodהַטּוֹבָ֔הH2896Article | Adjective - feminine singular-אֲשֶׁ֖רH834Pronoun - relativelandהָאָ֣רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularHe has givenנָתַ֥ןH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularyouלָכֶֽם׃פPreposition | second person masculine plural

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