Joshua 23:16

16 if you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you."

Joshua 23:16 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 23:16

When ye have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your God,
which he commanded you
The law, so called, and the several precepts of it, particularly those which relate to the faith and worship of the one only true God; see ( Exodus 24:7 Exodus 24:8 ) ;

and have gone and served other gods, and have bowed down yourselves
unto them;
been guilty of idolatry, of having and worshipping other gods, which are no gods, with or besides the God of Israel, see ( Joshua 23:7 ) ;

then shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against you;
nothing being more provoking to him than idolatry, he being a jealous God of his honour and worship:

and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given
unto you;
as they did at the time of the Babylonish captivity, and at the last destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.

Joshua 23:16 In-Context

14 "And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God promised concerning you; all have come to pass for you, not one of them has failed
15 But just as all the good things which the LORD your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you,
16 if you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you."
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.