Joshua 24:22

22 And Joshua said to the people, Ye be witnesses (to yourselves), that ye have chosen the Lord to you, that ye serve him. And they answered, We be witnesses. (And Joshua said to the people, Ye be your own witnesses, that ye have chosen the Lord for yourselves, and that ye shall serve him. And they answered, We be our own witnesses.)

Images for Joshua 24:22

Joshua 24:22 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 24:22

And Joshua said unto the people
In reply to their answer and resolution:

ye [are] witnesses against yourselves, that ye have chosen you the
Lord God to serve him;
that is, should they, after this choice of him, which they had so publicly declared, desert his service, and go into idolatry, their testimony would rise up against them, and they would, be self-condemned:

and they said, [we are] witnesses;
should we ever apostatize from the Lord and his worship, we are content to have this our witness produced against us.

Joshua 24:22 In-Context

20 If ye forsake the Lord, and serve alien gods (Yea, if ye forsake the Lord, and serve foreign, or other, gods), the Lord shall turn himself (away) from you, and he shall torment (you), and destroy you, (even) after that he hath given good things to you.
21 And the people said to Joshua, It shall not be so, as thou speakest, but we shall serve the Lord.
22 And Joshua said to the people, Ye be witnesses (to yourselves), that ye have chosen the Lord to you, that ye serve him. And they answered, We be witnesses. (And Joshua said to the people, Ye be your own witnesses, that ye have chosen the Lord for yourselves, and that ye shall serve him. And they answered, We be our own witnesses.)
23 Therefore, he said, now do ye away alien gods from the midst of you (And so now, he said, do ye away foreign, or other, gods from your midst), and bow ye your hearts to the Lord God of Israel.
24 And the people said to Joshua, We shall serve the Lord our God, and we shall be obedient to his behests (and we shall obey his commands).
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.