Add parallel Print Page Options

Joshua Adds an Agreement to the Book of God’s Teachings

24 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel together at Shechem. He called together Israel’s leaders, chiefs, judges, and officers, and they presented themselves to Elohim.

Joshua said to all the people, “This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel says: Long ago your ancestors, Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor, lived on the other side of the Euphrates River and served other gods. But I took your ancestor Abraham from the other side of the Euphrates River. I led him through all of Canaan and gave him many descendants. I also gave him Isaac. To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau the mountains in Seir as his own. However, Jacob and his sons went to Egypt.

“Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I struck Egypt with plagues. Later I led you out. When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, you came to the sea. The Egyptians with their chariots and horsemen chased your ancestors to the Red Sea. When your ancestors cried out to Yahweh, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians. He made the sea flow back and cover them. You saw for yourselves what I did to Egypt. Then you lived in the desert for a long time.

“After that I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived on the east side of the Jordan River. They fought you. However, I handed them over to you. So you took their land, and I destroyed them in front of you. Then Balak, son of King Zippor of Moab, fought Israel. He summoned Balaam, son of Beor, to curse you. 10 But I refused to listen to Balaam. All he could do was bless you. So I saved you from his power.

11 “Then you crossed the Jordan River and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho, the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites fought you. But I handed them over to you. 12 I sent hornets ahead of you to force out the two kings of the Amorites ahead of you. These things didn’t happen because of your battle skills or fighting ability. 13 So I gave you a land that you hadn’t farmed, cities to live in that you hadn’t built, vineyards and olive groves that you hadn’t planted. So you ate all you wanted!

14 “Fear Yahweh, and serve him with integrity and faithfulness. Get rid of the gods your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve only Yahweh. 15 But if you don’t want to serve Yahweh, then choose today whom you will serve. Even if you choose the gods your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live, my family and I will still serve Yahweh.”

16 The people responded, “It would be unthinkable for us to abandon Yahweh to serve other gods. 17 Yahweh our Elohim brought us and our ancestors out of slavery in Egypt. He did these spectacular signs right before our eyes. He guarded us wherever we went, especially as we passed through other nations. 18 Yahweh forced out all the people ahead of us, including the Amorites who lived in this land. We, too, will serve Yahweh, because he is our Elohim.”

19 But Joshua answered the people, “Since Yahweh is a holy Elohim, you can’t possibly serve him. He is El Kanna. He will not forgive your rebellious acts and sins. 20 If you abandon Yahweh and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you. He will destroy you, although he has been so good to you.”

21 The people answered Joshua, “No! We will only serve Yahweh!”

22 Joshua said to the people, “You have testified that you have chosen to serve Yahweh.”

They answered, “Yes, we have!”

23 “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Turn yourselves entirely over to Yahweh Elohim of Israel.”

24 The people replied to Joshua, “We will serve Yahweh our Elohim and obey him.”

25 That day Joshua made an agreement for the people and set up laws and rules for them at Shechem. 26 Joshua wrote these things in the Book of Elohim’s Teachings. Then he took a large stone and set it up under the oak tree at Yahweh’s holy place. 27 Joshua told all the people, “This stone will stand as a witness for us. It has heard all the words which Yahweh spoke to us. It will stand as a witness for you. You cannot deceive your Elohim.” 28 Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own property.

The Deaths of Joshua and Eleazar

29 After these events, Yahweh’s servant Joshua, son of Nun, died. He was 110 years old. 30 He was buried on his own land at Timnath Serah in the mountains of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash.

31 Israel served Yahweh as long as Joshua and the older leaders, who outlived him and who knew everything Yahweh had done for Israel, were alive.

32 Joseph’s bones, which the people of Israel had brought from Egypt, were buried at Shechem. They were placed in the plot of ground Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor, father of Shechem, for 100 pieces of silver. The plot was inherited by Joseph’s descendants.

33 Aaron’s son Eleazar also died. He was buried on the hill that had been given to his son Phinehas in the mountains of Ephraim.

The Covenant Renewed at Shechem

24 Then Joshua assembled(A) all the tribes of Israel at Shechem.(B) He summoned(C) the elders,(D) leaders, judges and officials of Israel,(E) and they presented themselves before God.

Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor,(F) lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods.(G) But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan(H) and gave him many descendants.(I) I gave him Isaac,(J) and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.(K) I assigned the hill country of Seir(L) to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.(M)

“‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron,(N) and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out.(O) When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea,(P) and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen[a](Q) as far as the Red Sea.[b](R) But they cried(S) to the Lord for help, and he put darkness(T) between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them.(U) You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians.(V) Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.(W)

“‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites(X) who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land.(Y) When Balak son of Zippor,(Z) the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor(AA) to put a curse on you.(AB) 10 But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you(AC) again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.

11 “‘Then you crossed the Jordan(AD) and came to Jericho.(AE) The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites,(AF) Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites,(AG) but I gave them into your hands.(AH) 12 I sent the hornet(AI) ahead of you, which drove them out(AJ) before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow.(AK) 13 So I gave you a land(AL) on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’(AM)

14 “Now fear the Lord(AN) and serve him with all faithfulness.(AO) Throw away the gods(AP) your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt,(AQ) 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,(AR) in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household,(AS) we will serve the Lord.”(AT)

16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake(AU) 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,(AV) and performed those great signs(AW) 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(AX) before us all the nations,(AY) including the Amorites, who lived in the land.(AZ) We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.(BA)

19 Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God;(BB) he is a jealous God.(BC) He will not forgive(BD) your rebellion(BE) and your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord(BF) and serve foreign gods, he will turn(BG) and bring disaster(BH) on you and make an end of you,(BI) 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(BJ) against yourselves that you have chosen(BK) to serve the Lord.”

“Yes, we are witnesses,(BL)” they replied.

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

24 And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”(BO)

25 On that day Joshua made a covenant(BP) for the people, and there at Shechem(BQ) he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws.(BR) 26 And Joshua recorded(BS) these things in the Book of the Law of God.(BT) Then he took a large stone(BU) and set it up there under the oak(BV) near the holy place of the Lord.

27 “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone(BW) will be a witness(BX) 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(BY) to your God.”(BZ)

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

Buried in the Promised Land(CB)

29 After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died(CC) at the age of a hundred and ten.(CD) 30 And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah[c](CE) in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.(CF)

31 Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders(CG) who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.

32 And Joseph’s bones,(CH) which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt,(CI) were buried at Shechem in the tract of land(CJ) that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver[d] from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants.

33 And Eleazar son of Aaron(CK) died and was buried at Gibeah,(CL) which had been allotted to his son Phinehas(CM) in the hill country(CN) of Ephraim.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 24:6 Or charioteers
  2. Joshua 24:6 Or the Sea of Reeds
  3. Joshua 24:30 Also known as Timnath Heres (see Judges 2:9)
  4. Joshua 24:32 Hebrew hundred kesitahs; a kesitah was a unit of money of unknown weight and value.