Joshua - Chapter 24

Joshua 24.1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. Joshua 24.2 And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. Joshua 24.3 And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. Joshua 24.4 And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. Joshua 24.5 I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. Joshua 24.6 And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. Joshua 24.7 And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. Joshua 24.8 And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. Joshua 24.9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: Joshua 24.10 But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand. Joshua 24.11 And you went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. Joshua 24.12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. Joshua 24.13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. Joshua 24.14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. Joshua 24.15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24.16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; Joshua 24.17 For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: Joshua 24.18 And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God. Joshua 24.19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. Joshua 24.20 If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. Joshua 24.21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24.22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. Joshua 24.23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel. Joshua 24.24 And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. Joshua 24.25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. Joshua 24.26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. Joshua 24.27 And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. Joshua 24.28 So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance. Joshua 24.29 And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. Joshua 24.30 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash. Joshua 24.31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel. Joshua 24.32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. Joshua 24.33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

Joshua : Chapter 24

The Conclusion of Joshua's Leadership

Joshua chapter 24 marks the end of a significant era in Israel's history. Through this crucial text, we witness Joshua's final speech, a moment when he reiterates God's faithfulness and calls the people to renew their covenant with Him. This chapter highlights essential themes such as choice, commitment, and loyalty to God.

Joshua's Declaration

Joshua fervently declares: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." This affirmation resonates as a call to every member of the people of Israel to personally commit to their relationship with God. It is crucial to recognize the significance of this statement in the context of faith and community life.

The Death of Joshua and Eleazar

The text also informs us of the death and burial of Joshua and Eleazar, two pivotal figures in the Israelite faith. Their departure underscores the need for a legacy of faith that must endure among God's people.

Five Enlightening Bible Passages

To deepen our understanding of the principles conveyed by this foundational chapter, let's consider five significant biblical passages.

Genesis 12:1

"The Lord said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you.'" This verse is part of the story of Abraham that Joshua evokes in his final speech, thus recalling God's call to commitment and faith.

Exodus 14:21-22

"Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea away with a strong east wind that blew all night and turned the sea into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites walked through the middle of the sea on dry land, with a wall of water on their right and a wall on their left." This crucial event of the Exodus is mentioned by Joshua as a reminder of God's power in delivering His people.

Deuteronomy 30:19

"Today I call to witness Heaven and earth are against you, I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live." This verse resonates with Joshua's challenge to the people to choose whom they will serve, emphasizing the importance of conscious choice in faith.

1 Samuel 7:3

"Then Samuel said to the whole community of Israel, 'If you will turn to the Lord with all your heart, then put away foreign gods and sacred poles, and devote yourselves to the Lord and serve Him alone; then He will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines.' This verse reflects the theme of exclusive devotion to God, a principle Joshua emphasizes with strength.

Acts 7:2-4

"Brothers and relatives, listen to me! The glorious God appeared to Abraham, our father, while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. "Leave your country and your relatives," God said to him, "and go to the land I will show you." Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After your father's death, God brought him to this land where you live today." This excerpt from Stephen's speech in Acts recalls the story of Abraham, just as Joshua does in his final speech, testifying to the continuity of faith across generations.

Meditating on these passages, we are called to renew our own commitment to God, to choose life and serve the Lord with faith and devotion.