Joshua 23:6–13

⁶“Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law^t of Moses, without turning aside^u to the right or to the left.^{v 7}Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear^w by them. You must not serve them or bow down^x to them. ⁸But you are to hold fast to the Lord^y your God, as you have until now.

⁹“The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations;^z to this day no one has been able to withstand you.^{a 10}One of you routs a thousand,^b because the Lord your God fights for you,^c just as he promised. ¹¹So be very careful^d to love the Lord^e your God.

¹²“But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them^f and associate with them,^{g 13}then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out^h these nations before you. Instead, they will become snaresⁱ and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes,^j until you perish from this good land,^k which the Lord your God has given you.