6 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Lawt of Moses, without turning asideu 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 swearw by them. You must not serve them or bow downx to them. 8 But you are to hold fast to the Lordy 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. 11 So be very carefuld to love the Lorde 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 themf and associate with them,g 13 then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive outh 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.