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'gods, the LORD GOD of gods, He knoweth, and Israel he 'shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression ' against the LORD, (save us not this day,) that we have 'built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt-offering or meat-offering, or if to offer peace-offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require 'it; and if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, "In time to come your children might 'speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD GOD of Israel? For the LORD hath 'made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children ' of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the 'LORD: so shall your children make our children cease 'from fearing the LORD." Therefore we said, “Let us now 'prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor 'for sacrifice: but that it may be a witness between us and you, and our generations after us, that we might do 'the service of the LORD before him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings; 'that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD." Therefore said we, ' that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our 'generations in time to come, that we may say again, “Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our 'fathers made, not for burnt-offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it, is a witness between us and you." God forbid 'that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn 'this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for 'burnt-offerings, for meat-offerings, or for sacrifices, be'side the altar of the LORD our GOD that is before his 'tabernacle.'

And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the

congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, 'This day we perceive that the LORD is among us, because ye have not ' committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have 'delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the 'LORD.' And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed GOD, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.

And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, 'I am old and stricken in age and ye ' have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is 'HE that hath fought for you. Behold, I have divided ' unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an in'heritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the 'nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea west'ward.

'And the LORD your GOD, HE shall expel them from 'before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and

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' ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you. Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law ' of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right ' hand or to the left; that ye come not among these nations, "these that remain among you; neither make mention of 'the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, 'neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: but 'cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day. For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath 'been able to stand before you unto this day. One man ' of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, HE it is that fighteth for you, as He hath promised you. 'Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love 'the LORD your God. Else if ye do in any wise go back, ' and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these ' that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: know 'for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more ' drive out any of these nations from before you; but they 'shall be snares and traps unto you, and Scourges in your 'sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off 'this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. 'And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: ' and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that 'not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you all are come to

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pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. 'Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised 'you; so shall the Lord bring upon you all evil things,

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⚫ until He have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which HE commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the 6 anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which He hath 'given unto you.'

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And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before GOD.

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And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD GOD of Israel, "Your fathers dwelt on the other 'side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served ' other gods. And I took your father Abraham from the ' other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and ' his children went down into Egypt. I sent Moses also ' and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterwards I brought you out. And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers 'with chariots and horsemen unto the Red Sea. And when 'they cried unto the LORD, HE put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and 'covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done ' in Egypt and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which

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'dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with 'you and I gave them into your hand, that ye might ' possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. 'Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and 'warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son ' of Beor to curse you: but I would not hearken unto 'Balaam; therefore he blessed you still so I delivered 'you out of his hand. And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho and the men of Jericho fought against 'you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, ' and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and 'the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. 'And I set the hornet before you, which drave them out 'from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; 'but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. And I have 'given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities ' which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vine' yards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat."

'Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity ' and in truth and put away the gods which your fathers 'served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and " serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve 'the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve ; 'whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we 'will serve the LORD.'

And the people answered and said, 'God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; for the LORD our GOD, HE it is that brought us up and our 'fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of

bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight,