Joshua 24:14-28

14 “Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods!

17 It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled.

18 And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God.”

19 Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins.

20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.”

21 But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the LORD.”

22 Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.” “Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied.

23 “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.”

24 And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God and obey him.”

25 On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws.

26 And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD.

27 “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”

28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.

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Joshua 24:14-28 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 40

1. 1 Samuel 12:14; Job 23:15; Psalms 19:9; Psalms 119:120
2. Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 18:13; 1 Samuel 12:24; 2 Corinthians 1:12
3. ver 23; S Genesis 31:19; Exodus 12:12; Exodus 18:11; Exodus 20:3; Numbers 25:2; Deuteronomy 11:28; Judges 10:16; Ruth 1:15; Isaiah 55:7
4. Ezekiel 23:3
5. Judges 6:10; Ruth 1:15
6. S Genesis 35:2
7. Ruth 1:16; Ruth 2:12; 1 Kings 18:21; Daniel 3:18
8. Joshua 22:29
9. Judges 6:8
10. S Exodus 10:1
11. S Exodus 23:31
12. S Deuteronomy 33:27
13. Acts 7:45
14. S Genesis 28:21
15. S Leviticus 11:44; Leviticus 19:2; S Leviticus 20:26
16. S Exodus 20:5
17. S Exodus 34:7
18. S Exodus 23:21
19. 1 Chronicles 28:9,20; 2 Chronicles 24:18
20. Acts 7:42
21. 1 Samuel 12:25; Hosea 13:11
22. Joshua 23:15
23. ver 27; Ruth 4:10; Isaiah 8:2; Isaiah 43:10; Isaiah 44:8; Jeremiah 42:5; Malachi 2:14
24. Psalms 119:30,173
25. S Deuteronomy 25:9
26. S ver 14
27. 1 Kings 8:58; Psalms 119:36; Psalms 141:4; Jeremiah 31:33
28. Exodus 19:8; Exodus 24:3,7; Deuteronomy 5:27; Jeremiah 42:6
29. S Exodus 24:8
30. S Joshua 17:7
31. Exodus 15:25
32. S Deuteronomy 17:18
33. S Deuteronomy 28:61; S Deuteronomy 31:24
34. S Genesis 28:18; S Deuteronomy 27:2
35. S Genesis 12:6; S Judges 4:11
36. S Genesis 28:18; Habakkuk 2:11
37. S ver 22; S Genesis 21:30; S Joshua 22:27
38. S Joshua 7:11
39. S Numbers 11:20; S Proverbs 30:9
40. Judges 21:23,24