Joshua 24
24
Renewal of the Covenant at Shechem
1Joshua assembled all Israel’s tribes at Shechem. # 24:1 Three locations in the promised land were of vital interest to Israel: Gilgal, Shiloh, and Shechem. Gilgal was their military headquarters during the invasion. For the believer today, Gilgal represents our beginning, our resurrection into new life, and our responsibilities and battles that come with it (see Josh. 10:43–11:23; Eph. 6:12). Gilgal was also a place of recovery and renewal, for the reproach of Egypt was rolled away at Gilgal. Shiloh was the pre-Jerusalem capitol and worship center for Israel, the spiritual pivot of national life. That is where God had manifested his grace, guidance, and power. It represents the holy realm of worship and devotion to God, where we receive divine revelation. Shechem was the political cradle of the nation due to its importance in the lives of the patriarchs. Shechem was not only the geographic center of Canaan but also the moral heart of the nation. At this city Abraham built the first altar to Yahweh within the land, and here God appeared to him and promised that Abraham’s seed would inherit the promises (see Gen. 12:7). It is the place of building altars, renewing our covenant-love of God (see Gen. 35:1–4), and receiving our spiritual inheritance as sons and daughters of God. He summoned all the leaders—elders, judges, and officials of Israel—and they all stood in the presence of God. 2Then Joshua said to them all: “This is what Yahweh the God of Israel has to say to you: ‘Long ago, your forefathers—Terah, father of Abraham and father of Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and worshiped other gods. 3I took your father Abraham from that land and led him through all the land of Canaan. I gave him a son, Isaac, and through Isaac I multiplied his descendants. 4I gave Isaac two sons, Jacob and Esau. To Esau and his descendants I gave the hill country of Edom # 24:4 Or “Seir.” as their inheritance, while Jacob and his family went down to Egypt. 5When the time of their captivity was complete, I sent Moses and Aaron to Egypt to deliver them. I struck the land with great plagues, and afterward I led you # 24:5 In vv. 5–7 the author alternates between using “your forefathers [ancestors]” and “you [plural]” as a way of reminding the people of that generation that they were included in the redemptive history of their people. out from there. 6I freed your forefathers from Egypt and brought you to the Red Sea, but the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen. 7Then our people cried out to Yahweh for help, and he put a thick, dark cloud between you and the Egyptians. When the Egyptians attempted to follow them, I caused the sea to roll over them and drown them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the desert for many years. 8I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived east of the Jordan. When they fought against you, I gave them into your hands. As you advanced, I gave you victory over them, and you took possession of their land.
9‘Later, when Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, opposed Israel, he sent for the prophet Balaam son of Beor to come and curse you. 10But I refused to listen to Balaam. Instead he had to prophesy my blessings over you! I rescued you from his power. # 24:10 Or “from his hand.”
11‘Later, after you crossed the Jordan miraculously, you faced another impossibility—Jericho! The lords of Jericho, # 24:11 “The lords of Jericho” may be a reference to the spiritual powers (principalities) that held Jericho and the other city-states in their grip. Joshua battled not only against flesh and blood but also against principalities and powers (Eph. 6:10–18). as well as the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites, fought with you, but I gave you victory over them all! 12I sent the hornet # 24:12 See Ex. 23:28; Deut. 7:20. The hornet is likely an idiomatic expression for being thrown into a panic. One can get a picture of a man thrashing at a swarm of hornets trying to sting him. That is the word picture here. As God’s presence invaded the land, it brought panic into the hearts of God’s enemies. ahead of you to run off the two Amorite kings. # 24:12 That is, Og and Sihon. See 12:2–13:11. Your weapons and strength had nothing to do with it! 13I gave you land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built. You are now living in the land I gave you. You are eating grapes from vines that others planted and olives from trees planted by the people who lived there before you.’
Choose Whom You Will Serve
14“Now therefore, worship Yahweh with holy awe # 24:14 Or “fear” or “reverential honor.” and serve him in authentic love and loyalty. Remove from your hearts every false god to whom your fathers bowed down beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt and serve Yahweh. 15If it seems wrong in your eyes to serve Yahweh, then make your decision today which gods you will worship—the gods which your ancestors worshiped in Mesopotamia or the gods which the Amorites worship in the land where you are now living—but I and my family, we will give our lives to worship and serve Yahweh!” # 24:15 The Septuagint adds the clause “for he is holy!”
16The people responded enthusiastically: “Far be it from us to abandon Yahweh and serve other gods! 17Our God, Yahweh, set us and our fathers free from slavery in the land of Egypt, the house of bondage. He performed these many great signs and wonders before our eyes. Yahweh supernaturally protected us throughout our entire journey as we passed through the territory of other nations. 18And as we advanced, Yahweh powerfully drove out from before us all the people, including the Amorites who inhabited the country. Yes, Joshua! We, too, will worship and serve Yahweh, for he alone is our God.”
19Joshua warned the people, “Don’t be so quick to say, ‘We will worship and serve Yahweh,’ # 24:19 Or “You will not be able to serve Yahweh.” for he is a holy God. And he will tolerate no rivals. # 24:19 Or “He is El, the Jealous.” See Ex. 20:5; Deut. 4:24; 5:9. God will not forgive the sin of unfaithfulness to him. # 24:19 Or “He will not forgive your transgressions and your sins.” Joshua possibly knew that they were secretly practicing idolatry. 20If after Yahweh has been gracious to you, you turn and forsake him to worship other gods, then he will turn and deal harshly with you and totally consume you!”
21“No, no!” the people responded. “We promise to worship and serve Yahweh!”
22Then Joshua said to them, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve Yahweh.”
“Yes, we are witnesses,” they responded.
23“Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away these foreign gods that are among you, and yield your hearts fully to Yahweh the God of Israel!”
24And the people promised Joshua, “We really will worship and serve our God, Yahweh, and listen to his voice.”
25On that day when the people were gathered at Shechem, Joshua made a covenant between them and Yahweh, which contained laws the people were to obey. 26Joshua recorded all this in a book of divine instruction. # 24:26 Or “the book of the law of God.” It is difficult to identify this as any particular book included in the Old Testament. Then he set up a large stone memorial at the tent pole # 24:26 Or “oak tree [terebinth].” This is a hapax legomenon that Rabbinical Judaism interprets as “pole.” (See A. Cohen, American Journal of Semitic Languages, xl, pp. 160ff). near the holy place of Yahweh. 27Joshua said to all the people, “Look at this stone! It will serve as a witness, for it heard all the words that Yahweh spoke to us; # 24:27 The stones (inanimate objects) can hear our words. it will be a witness against you if you rebel against our God.” 28Joshua then dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.
Joshua and Eleazar Buried in the Promised Land
29Some time later, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, # 24:29 Finally upon his death Joshua was called “the servant of Yahweh,” a title that had been used exclusively for Moses up to this point in the book of Joshua. died at the age of one hundred and ten. 30They buried him on his own property, at Timnath Serah # 24:30 Or “Timnath Heres.” See Judg. 2:9 and first footnote. in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. # 24:30 Gaash means “shaking” or “commotion.” 31Israel was faithful to serve Yahweh during the lifetime of Joshua and the lifetime of the elders who lived on after Joshua, those who had experienced all the miracles that Yahweh had done for Israel. # 24:31 See Judg. 2:7, 10.
32They buried Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver # 24:32 Or “for a hundred qesitah,” an unknown unit of money. from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father. # 24:32 See Gen. 50:24–25. The Septuagint adds “There they deposited in his grave the flint knives used to circumcise the children of Israel at Gilgal, as the Lord commanded them when he brought them out of Egypt.” So the land became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants. 33The chief priest # 24:33 The words “chief priest” are found in some Syriac manuscripts and the Septuagint. Eleazar son of Aaron also died. They buried him on the hill # 24:33 Or “Gibeah.” Gibeah is the common Hebrew word for “hill.” of his son Phineas, which had been assigned to him in Ephraim. # 24:33 The Septuagint adds, “At that time, the children of Israel took up the ark of God and carried it about among them.”
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Joshua 24: TPT
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