23:1 Yahweh had given rest to Israel See note on 21:43–45. Compare 11:23; 13:1; 22:4; 23:4.

23:2 their elders, heads, judges, and officials See note on 7:6.

23:3 all that Yahweh your God has done Refers to the conquest (see chs. 1–12).

all these nations The condemned people groups; see 3:10.

23:4 these remaining nations Despite the note in v. 1 that the land “had rest,” this verse acknowledges that the Israelites have not completely expelled the indigenous inhabitants of Canaan. See vv. 12; 13:1 and note.

23:5 will push them back before you Reflects the theme that God was the power behind the conquest (see 13:6; 23:13; compare Exod 23:30; 33:2; 34:11; Deut 11:23).

just as Yahweh your God promised to you This promise occurs multiple times in the book of Genesis (Gen 12:1–3; 15:1–6, 18; 28:13; 35:12; compare Gen 48:21).

23:6 the scroll of the law of Moses Refers to Deuteronomy in the near context, as well as the entire Pentateuch.

23:7 not to go among these remaining nations The forbidden mixing refers primarily to idolatry—avoiding contamination from the worship of foreign gods by non-Israelite peoples. Other mixing, such as intermarriage, would inevitably contribute to that issue (see Josh 23:12 and note), but the prohibition here is much broader than intermarriage.

23:8 hold fast The Hebrew term davaq is elsewhere translated “hold fast,” speaking of a tenacious loyalty to and trust in Yahweh (2 Kgs 18:5–6).

23:9 has driven out before you See Josh 1–12.

23:10 put to flight a thousand Echoes the Song of Moses in Deut 32:30.

Yahweh your God is fighting for you See Exod 14:14; Deut 3:22.

23:11 love Yahweh your God The greatest commandment (see Deut 6:4–5).

23:12 you intermarry with them The prohibition against intermarrying with the surrounding Canaanite nations was stated explicitly in Deut 7:1–6. The rationale behind forbidding intermarriage was directly related to the temptation towards idolatry (see note on Ezra 9:1–10:44; compare 1 Kgs 11:1–8).

23:13 will not continue to drive out these nations See Josh 23:5. Reaffirms that God was the reason for Israel’s success; Joshua threatens that God will withdraw this help if the people are disloyal to Him and true worship.

until you perish from this good land Reflects the severe curses listed in Moses’ farewell sermon (Deut 28:15–68). The cost for disloyalty to Yahweh as the sole God to be worshiped was famine, plague, death, and exile from the land (see Deut 28:15–68; compare Lev 26:14–39).

23:14 I am about to die David uses this phrase for his imminent death (1 Kgs 2:2). The phrase refers to the reality that everyone on earth dies.

souls See note on Deut 6:5.

23:15 has destroyed you from this good land The context for these curses is the potential transgression of the covenant mentioned in Josh 23:16. The reference is to the curses God pronounced through Moses for following foreign gods and violating the exclusive worship of Yahweh (see Deut 28:15–68; compare Lev 26:14–39).