Joshua 24:5-15

5 And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I smote Egypt with many signs and wonders, and I led you

6 and your fathers out of Egypt. And ye came to the (Red) Sea, and (the) Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots, and multitude of knights (and many soldiers), (yea,) unto the Red Sea.

7 And the sons of Israel cried to the Lord, and he put darknesses betwixt you and [the] Egyptians; and he brought the sea (down) on them, and (it altogether) covered them. Your eyes have seen all (the) things, which I did in Egypt. And ye dwelled in wilderness much time (And then ye lived in the wilderness, or in the desert, a long time).

8 And I brought you into the land of Amorites, that dwelled beyond (the) Jordan; and when they fought against you, I betook them into your hands, and ye had their land in possession, and ye killed them. (And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, who lived on the east side of the Jordan River; and when they fought against you, I delivered them into your hands, and ye had their land for a possession, and ye killed them.)

9 And Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of Moab, rose (up), and fought against Israel; and he sent (for), and called (on) Balaam, the son of Beor, that he should curse you.

10 And I would not hear him, but on the contrary by Balaam I blessed you, and I delivered you from the hands of Balak. (But I would not listen to him, and on the contrary, I blessed you by Balaam, and I rescued you from Balak's hands.)

11 And ye passed [over] (the) Jordan (And ye crossed over the Jordan River), and came to Jericho; and men of that city fought against you, Amorites, and Perizzites, and Canaanites, Hittites, and Girgashites, and Hivites, and Jebusites; and I betook them (all) into your hands.

12 And I sent flies with venomous tongues before you, and I casted them out of their places; (yea,) I killed [the] two kings of (the) Amorites, not in thy sword, nor in thy bow (but not with thy sword, or with thy bow).

13 And I gave to you the land in which ye travailed not, and cities which ye builded not, (so) that ye should dwell in those, and vineries (and vineyards), and places of olive trees, which ye planted not.

14 Now therefore dread ye the Lord, and serve ye him with perfect heart and most true; and do ye away the gods, to which your fathers served in Mesopotamia, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. (And so now fear ye the Lord, and serve ye him with a perfect and a most true heart; and do ye away the gods whom your forefathers served in Mesopotamia, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.)

15 But if it seemeth evil to you, that ye serve the Lord, choosing is given to you; choose ye to you today that, that pleaseth, whom ye ought most to serve; whether to gods, which your fathers served in Mesopotamia, whether to the gods of Amorites, in whose land ye dwell; forsooth I, and mine house, shall serve the Lord. (But if it seemeth onerous to you, that ye serve the Lord, choosing is given to you; choose ye today what pleaseth you, whom ye ought most to serve; whether the gods, which your fathers served in Mesopotamia, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye live; but I, and my house, shall serve the Lord.)

Joshua 24:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 24

This chapter gives us an account of another summons of the tribes of Israel by Joshua, who obeyed it, and presented themselves before the Lord at Shechem, Jos 24:1; when Joshua in the name of the Lord rehearsed to them the many great and good things the Lord had done for them, from the time of their ancestor Abraham to that day, Jos 24:2-13; and then exhorted them to fear and serve the Lord, and reject idols, Jos 24:14; and put them upon making their choice, whether they would serve the true God, or the gods of the Canaanites; and they choosing the former, he advised them to abide by their choice, Jos 24:15-24; and made a covenant with them to that purpose, and then dismissed them, Jos 24:25-28; and the chapter is concluded with an account of the death and burial of Joshua and Eleazar, and of the interment of the bones of Joseph, Jos 24:29-33.