of the rock-hewn tombs of Palestine. It is
tradition only which calls it the resting place of the great captain.
[End illustration]
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"For the Lord hath driven out from before you great nations and
strong: but as for you, no man hath stood 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 spoke unto you. Take good heed therefore
unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God."
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.
And Joshua said unto all the people, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of
Israel, 'Fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth; and
put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in
Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.' And if it seem evil to you to serve the
Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which
your fathers served that were beyond the River, 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, "Far be it from us that we should
forsake the Lord, to serve other gods; for the Lord our God, he it is
that brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the
house of bondage, and that did those great signs in our sight, and
preserved us in an the way wherein we went, and among all the peoples
through the midst of whom we passed; and the Lord drove out from
before us all the peoples, even the Amorites that dwelt in the land:
therefore we also will serve the Lord; for he is our God."
{312}
And Joshua said unto the people, "Ye are not able to serve the Lord;
for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your
transgression nor your sins. If ye forsake the Lord, and serve foreign
gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after that
he hath done you good."
And the people said unto Joshua, "Nay; but we will serve the Lord."
And Joshua said unto the people, "Ye are witnesses against yourselves
that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him."
And they said, "We are witnesses."
THE DEATH OF JOSHUA.
_The Great Captain Is Laid at Rest_.
And after many years of fighting, and many victories, Joshua the son
of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten ye
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