Yehoshua 23:16

16 When ye have transgressed the Brit Hashem Eloheichem, which He commanded you, and have gone and served elohim acharim, and bowed down yourselves to them; then shall the Af Hashem be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off HaAretz Hatovah which He hath given unto you.

Yehoshua 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.

Yehoshua 23:16 In-Context

14 And, hinei, now I am going the derech kol ha’aretz; and ye know in all your hearts and in all your nefashot, that not one thing hath failed of all the devarim hatovim which Hashem Eloheichem promised concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that just as kol hadavar hatov are come upon you, which Hashem Eloheichem promised you; so shall Hashem bring upon you kol hadavar harah, until He hath destroyed you from off this adamah hatovah which Hashem Eloheichem hath given you.

16 When ye have transgressed the Brit Hashem Eloheichem, which He commanded you, and have gone and served elohim acharim, and bowed down yourselves to them; then shall the Af Hashem be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off HaAretz Hatovah which He hath given unto you.