Joshua 23:1-16
1 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 strickena in age.
2 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:
3 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.
4 Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.b
5 And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.
6 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;
7 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:
8 But cleavec unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.
9 For the LORDd 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.
10 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.
11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves,e that ye love the LORD your God.
12 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:
13 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.
14 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 pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof
15 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, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
16 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 anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.
As Joshua neared the end of his life, he called for all the leaders of the people to meet with him. He reminded them that it was God who fought for them in the conquest of the land. How else could the walls of Jericho fall down and the sun stand still? The parts of the land remaining to be conquered were their's for the taking because God would drive the people out.
Joshua did place a burden of responsibility upon the people of Israel as well. First, they had to keep the law of Moses. Second, stay free from the idols and people of the nations around them. Third, they should remain loyal in their service to and love of the one true God (Deuteronomy 6:5). As long as they did these things, God would cause one Israelite to be able to chase a thousand of their enemies. He warned the leaders that failure to follow God would result in him turning from them just as surely as he had fought for them. They would perish like the wicked people they had driven out of the land with God's help (Joshua 23:1-16).
Then, Joshua called for all the people to come with their leaders to Shechem to present themselves before God. Since the expression, "before God" indicates before the ark of the covenant, it must be assumed the tabernacle, or at least the ark, was moved for this solemn renewal of Israel's commitment to God. Shechem was the place Abraham first received the promise of the land (Genesis 12:6-7), Jacob set up his tent upon his return from Laban (Genesis 33:18-20) and apparently Jacob called for his family to cleanse itself from false gods (Genesis 35:1-4).