Joshua 24

The Covenant Renewal at Shechem

1 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel c to Shechem and d summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And e they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Long ago, f your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and g they served other gods. 3 h Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and i led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. j I gave him Isaac. 4 And to Isaac I gave k Jacob and Esau. l And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, m but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. 5 n And I sent Moses and Aaron, o and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and p afterward I brought you out.

6 "'Then p I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and q you came to the sea. r And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 7 s And when they cried to the Lord, t he put darkness between you and the Egyptians u and made the sea come upon them and cover them; v and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. w And you lived in the wilderness a long time. 8 Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. x They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. 9 y Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. z And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, 10 a but I would not listen to Balaam. a Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand. 11 b And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, c and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also c the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand. 12 And I sent d the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was e not by your sword or by your bow. 13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored f and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.'

Choose Whom You Will Serve

14 g "Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. h Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 i And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, j choose this day whom you will serve, whether h the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or k the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. l But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, 17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. 18 And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God."

19 But Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is m a holy God. He is n a jealous God; o he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 p If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then q he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good." 21 And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the Lord." 22 Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that r you have chosen the Lord, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses." 23 He said, "Then s put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel." 24 And the people said to Joshua, "The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey." 25 So Joshua t made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place u statutes and rules for them at Shechem. 26 And Joshua v wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And w he took a large stone and set it up there x under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, y this stone shall be a witness against us, for z it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God." 28 So Joshua a sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.

Joshua's Death and Burial

29 b After these things Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being 110 years old. 30 And they buried him in his own inheritance at c Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash.

31 d Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua e and had known all the work that the Lord did for Israel.

32 f As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land g that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. 1 It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.

33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of h Phinehas his son, which had been given him in i the hill country of Ephraim.

  1. Cross References
    Joshua 24:25
    So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem.
    Joshua 24:32
    As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.
  2. Cross References
    Joshua 23:2
    Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, "I am now old and well advanced in years.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 10:19
    But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, 'Set a king over us.' Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 11:27 - 32
    Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot.
  5. Cross References
    Genesis 31:30
    And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father's house, but why did you steal my gods?
    Genesis 35:2
    So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 12:1 - 5
    Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.
    Acts 7:2 - 4
    And Stephen said: "Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran.
  7. Cross References
    Genesis 12:6
    Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 21:2 - 3
    And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 25:24 - 26
    When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb.
  10. Cross References
    Genesis 36:8
    So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. ( Esau is Edom.)
    Deuteronomy 2:5
    Do not contend with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.
  11. Cross References
    Genesis 46:1
    So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
    Genesis 46:6
    They also took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him.
    Acts 7:15
    And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers.
  12. Cross References
    Exodus 3:10
    Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.
    Exodus 4:14
    Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, "Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.
  13. Cross References
    Exodus 7:1 - 12:1
    And the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet.
  14. Cross References
    Exodus 12:37
    And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children.
    Exodus 12:51
    And on that very day the Lord brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.
  15. Cross References
    Joshua 24:5
    And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out.
  16. Cross References
    Exodus 14:2
    Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea.
  17. Cross References
    Exodus 14:9
    The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
  18. Cross References
    Exodus 14:10
    When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord.
  19. Cross References
    Exodus 14:20
    Coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 14:27 - 28
    So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea.
  21. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:34
    Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?
    Deuteronomy 29:2
    And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: "You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land.
  22. Cross References
    Joshua 5:6
    For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord ; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
  23. Cross References
    Numbers 21:21 - 35
    Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying.
  24. Cross References
    Judges 11:25
    Now are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend against Israel, or did he ever go to war with them?
  25. Cross References
    Numbers 22:5
    Sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, "Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me.
    Deuteronomy 23:4
    Because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.
  26. Cross References
    Numbers 23:11
    And Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.
    Numbers 23:20
    Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.
    Numbers 24:1
    When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness.
    Numbers 24:10
    And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times.
  27. Cross References
    Numbers 23:11
    And Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.
    Numbers 23:20
    Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.
    Numbers 24:1
    When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness.
    Numbers 24:10
    And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times.
  28. Cross References
    Joshua 3:14
    So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people.
    Joshua 3:17
    Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.
    Joshua 4:10 - 13
    For the priests bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people passed over in haste.
  29. Cross References
    Joshua 6:1
    Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in.
    Joshua 10:1 - 3
    As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them.
    Joshua 11:1 - 3
    When Jabin, king of Hazor, heard of this, he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph.
  30. Cross References
    Joshua 6:1
    Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in.
    Joshua 10:1 - 3
    As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them.
    Joshua 11:1 - 3
    When Jabin, king of Hazor, heard of this, he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph.
  31. Cross References
    Exodus 23:28
    And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you.
    Deuteronomy 7:20
    Moreover, the Lord your God will send hornets among them, until those who are left and hide themselves from you are destroyed.
  32. Cross References
    Psalms 44:3
    For not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.
  33. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 6:10 - 11
    And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you - with great and good cities that you did not build.
    Joshua 11:13
    But none of the cities that stood on mounds did Israel burn, except Hazor alone; that Joshua burned.
  34. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 10:12
    And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
    1 Samuel 12:24
    Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.
  35. Cross References
    Joshua 24:2
    And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods.
    Joshua 24:23
    He said, "Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.
  36. Cross References
    1 Kings 18:21
    And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word.
    Ezekiel 20:39
    As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord God : Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.
  37. Cross References
    Joshua 24:22
    Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses.
  38. Cross References
    Joshua 24:14
    Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
  39. Cross References
    Exodus 23:24
    You shall not bow down to their gods nor serve ...
    Exodus 23:32 - 33
    You shall make no covenant with them and their ...
    Exodus 34:15
    Lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants o...
    Deuteronomy 13:7
    Some of the gods of the peoples who are around ...
    Deuteronomy 29:18
    Beware lest there be among you a man or woman o...
    Judges 6:10
    And I said to you, 'I am the Lord your God; you...
  40. Cross References
    Genesis 18:19
    For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.
  41. Cross References
    Leviticus 19:2
    Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
    1 Samuel 6:20
    Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up away from us?
    Psalms 99:5
    Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!
    Psalms 99:9
    Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!
    Isaiah 5:16
    But the Lord of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness.
  42. Cross References
    Exodus 20:5
    You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me.
    Nahum 1:2
    The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.
  43. Cross References
    Exodus 23:21
    Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.
  44. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 28:9
    And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your f...
    2 Chronicles 15:2
    And he went out to meet Asa and said to him, "H...
    Ezra 8:22
    For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of...
    Isaiah 1:28
    But rebels and sinners shall be broken together...
    Isaiah 65:11 - 12
    But you who forsake the Lord, who forget my hol...
    Jeremiah 17:13
    O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you...
  45. Cross References
    Joshua 23:15
    But just as all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the Lord your God has given you.
    Isaiah 63:10
    But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.
    Acts 7:42
    But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: "'Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices, during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
  46. Cross References
    Joshua 24:15
    And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
  47. Cross References
    Joshua 24:14
    Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
    Judges 10:16
    So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel.
    1 Samuel 7:3
    And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, "If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
  48. Cross References
    2 Kings 11:17
    And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people, that they should be the Lord 's people, and also between the king and the people.
    2 Chronicles 23:16
    And Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king that they should be the Lord 's people.
    Nehemiah 9:38
    Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.
  49. Cross References
    Exodus 15:25
    And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them.
  50. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:24
    When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book to the very end.
  51. Cross References
    Joshua 4:3
    And command them, saying, 'Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.'
    Genesis 28:18
    So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it.
  52. Cross References
    Genesis 35:4
    So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.
    Judges 9:6
    And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem.
  53. Cross References
    Joshua 22:27 - 28
    But to be a witness between us and you, and bet...
    Joshua 22:34
    The people of Reuben and the people of Gad call...
    Genesis 31:48
    Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you...
    Genesis 31:52
    This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a wit...
    Deuteronomy 31:19
    Now therefore write this song and teach it to t...
    Deuteronomy 31:21
    And when many evils and troubles have come upon...
    Deuteronomy 31:26
    Take this Book of the Law and put it by the sid...
  54. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:1
    Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
  55. Cross References
    Judges 2:6
    When Joshua dismissed the people, the people of Israel went each to his inheritance to take possession of the land.
  56. Cross References
    Joshua 24:29 - 31
    After these things Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being 110 years old.
    Judges 2:7 - 9
    And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel.
  57. Cross References
    Joshua 19:50
    By command of the Lord they gave him the city that he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he rebuilt the city and settled in it.
  58. Cross References
    Judges 2:7
    And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel.
  59. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 11:2
    And consider today (since I am not speaking to your children who have not known or seen it), consider the discipline of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand and his outstretched arm.
    Deuteronomy 31:13
    And that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.
  60. Cross References
    Genesis 50:25
    Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.
    Exodus 13:19
    Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.
  61. Cross References
    Genesis 33:19
    And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent.
  62. Cross References
    Joshua 22:13
    Then the people of Israel sent to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest.
  63. Cross References
    Joshua 24:30
    And they buried him in his own inheritance at Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash.
    Joshua 17:15
    And Joshua said to them, "If you are a numerous people, go up by yourselves to the forest, and there clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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