Joshua 24:15

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.)

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Joshua 24:15 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 24:15

And if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord
Irksome and troublesome, a burden, a weariness, and not a pleasure and delight:

choose you this day whom you will serve;
say if you have found a better master, and whose service will be more pleasant and profitable:

whether the gods your fathers served, that [were] on the other side of
the flood;
the river Euphrates; these may bid rid rest for antiquity, but then they were such their fathers had relinquished, and for which undoubtedly they had good reason; and to take up with the worship of these again was to impeach their wisdom, judgment, and good sense:

or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:
but then these were such as could not preserve their worshippers in the land, or the Israelites had not dwelt in it, and therefore no dependence could be had upon them for future security. The Amorites are only mentioned, because they were a principal nation, some of which dwelt on one side Jordan, and some on the other, and indeed there were of them in the several parts of the land:

but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord;
be your choice as it may be: this was the resolution of Joshua, and so far as he knew the sense of his family, or had influence over it, could and did speak for them; and which he observes as an example set for the Israelites to follow after; he full well knowing that the examples of great personages, such as governors, supreme and subordinate, have great influence over those that are under them,

Joshua 24:15 In-Context

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.)
16 And all the people answered, and said, Far be it from us that we forsake the Lord, and serve alien gods (and serve foreign, or other, gods).
17 Our Lord God himself led us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of servage, and did great signs in our sight; and he kept us (safe) in all the way, by which we went, and in all peoples, by which we passed; (The Lord our God himself led us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude, or of slavery, and did great miracles before us; and he kept us safe on all the way, by which we went, and among all the peoples, through whom we passed;)

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Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.