Joshua 24

1 Then Joshua [the leader] assembled [gathered, convened] all the tribes [clans, families] of Israel at Shechem [a city in Palestine]. He summoned [called, invited] the elders [respected leaders, wise men], leaders [heads, chiefs], judges [rulers, authorities], and officers [officials, overseers] of Israel, and they presented [stood, stationed] themselves before God [Elohim, the supreme Lord]. word study 2 And Joshua [the Lord’s deliverer] said to all the people, “This is what the LORD [Yehovah], the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of Israel, says: ‘Long ago [in old time, from the very beginning] your fathers, including Terah the father of Abraham [the father of faith] and Nahor, lived beyond [on the other side of, across] the Euphrates [the river of prosperity] and worshiped [served, gave reverence to] other gods [strange gods, idols]. word study 3 But I took [brought, guided] your father Abraham [the father of faith, ancestor of Israel] from beyond [across, on the other side of] the Euphrates [the river] and led [walked, journeyed with] him through all [every part of] the land of Canaan [the promised land, a region of abundance], and I multiplied [increased, made numerous] his descendants [offspring, seed]. I gave [bestowed, granted] him Isaac [he laughs, a son of promise], word study 4 and to Isaac [the son of Abraham, a key figure] I gave [to possess, to bestow] Jacob [the supplanter, a key figure] and Esau [the hairy one, the twin brother]. I gave [to possess, to bestow] Esau Mount Seir [a mountain in Idumaea, a region] to possess [to take control, to occupy], but Jacob [the father of the Israelites] and his sons [descendants, children] went down [to descend, to go lower] to Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa, a place of refuge]. word study 5 Then I sent [with divine authority] Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted [struck, plagued] the Egyptians by what I did [performed, accomplished] there, and afterward [following that, later] I brought you out [delivered, liberated]. word study 6 When I brought [led out, delivered] your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] out of Egypt [the land of bondage] and you reached [came to, arrived at] the Red Sea [the sea of reeds, Yam Suph], the Egyptians [the people of Egypt] pursued [chased, followed after] them with chariots [vehicles, horse-drawn carts] and horsemen [cavalry, riders] as far as [unto, to the edge of] the Red Sea [the sea of reeds, Yam Suph]. word study 7 So your fathers cried out [in distress, with urgent need] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], and He put [appointed, established] darkness [opaque or dark] between you and the Egyptians [the people of Egypt], over whom He brought [caused to come] the sea [a large body of water] and engulfed [covered, overwhelmed] them. Your very eyes [the source of sight, the windows to the soul] saw what I did [accomplished, performed] to the Egyptians [the people of Egypt]. Then you lived [dwelt, remained] in the wilderness [a desert, an open field] for a long time [many days, an extended period]. word study 8 Later, I brought you to the land [territory, region] of the Amorites [Canaanite tribe, descendants of Canaan] who lived beyond [on the other side of, across] the Jordan [a key location, a river]. They fought [battled, waged war] against you, but I delivered [gave, handed over] them into your hand [power, control], that you should possess [take control of, occupy] their land [soil, ground, country] when I destroyed [annihilated, devastated] them before you [in your presence, from your sight]. word study 9 Then Balak [king of the Moabites] son of Zippor, the king [ruler, monarch] of Moab, set out [arose, went up] to fight [war against, battle] against Israel. He sent [called, summoned] for Balaam [prophet, seer] son of Beor to curse [utter a curse, bring into contempt] you, word study 10 but I would [not be willing to, refused to] not listen to Balaam [the prophet from Mesopotamia]. So he blessed [praised, spoke well of] you again and again [repeatedly, still], and I delivered [rescued, saved] you from his hand [power, control]. word study 11 After this, you crossed [passed over, transitioned] the Jordan [the river that runs from Lebanon to the Dead Sea] and came to Jericho [the city of the moon, a key location in Canaan]. The people of Jericho [the inhabitants, citizens] fought [engaged in battle, made war] against you, as did the Amorites [a Canaanite tribe, descendants of Canaan], Perizzites [a native tribe of Canaan], Canaanites [the people of the land of Canaan], Hittites [descendants of Heth], Girgashites [a native tribe of Canaan], Hivites [an ancient tribe in Palestine], and Jebusites [the people of Jebus, the early name for Jerusalem], and I delivered [gave, put] them into your hand [your power, your control]. word study 12 I sent [ahead of time, as a divine provision] the hornet [a type of wasp] ahead of you, and it drove out [expelled, forced to leave] the two [a pair] Amorite [a Canaanite tribe, descended from Canaan] kings [rulers, royal persons] before you, but not [absent, without] by your own sword [a cutting instrument, a tool for battle] or bow [a weapon for hunting or battle]. word study 13 So I gave you a land [on which you had not labored, for which ye did not toil] on which you did not toil [be weary, work hard] and cities [which ye built not, that you did not construct] that you did not build [establish, construct], and now you live [dwell, reside] in them and eat [consume, devour] from vineyards [gardens for growing vines] and olive groves [places for growing olive trees, oliueyards] that you did not plant [establish, cultivate].’ word study 14 Now, therefore, fear [revere, stand in awe of] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and serve [worship, work for] Him in sincerity [uprightness, perfection] and truth [faithfulness, stability]; cast aside [turn away from, remove] the gods [Elohim, supernatural beings] your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] served [worshiped, worked for] beyond [on the other side of] the Euphrates [a major river] and in Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], and serve [worship, work for] the LORD. word study 15 But if it is unpleasing [seems evil, appears wrong] in your sight to serve [worship, obey] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], then choose [select, decide] for yourselves this day [at this moment, now] whom you will serve [worship, obey], whether the gods [Elohim, divine beings] your fathers served [worshiped, obeyed] beyond [on the other side of, across] the Euphrates [the river], or the gods [Elohim, divine beings] of the Amorites [a Canaanite tribe, descendants of Canaan] in whose land [territory, region] you are living [dwelling, residing]. As for me and my house [my family, my household], we will serve [worship, obey] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]!” word study 16 The people [a nation, the Israelites] replied, “Far be it from us [God forbid, may it never happen] to forsake [abandon, loosen our grip on] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] to serve [work for, worship] other gods [Elohim, false deities, idols]! word study 17 For the LORD [Yehovah, our covenant God] our God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] brought us and our fathers [ancestors, forefathers] out of the land [territory, region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], out of the house [place, dwelling] of slavery [bondage, servitude], and performed [did, accomplished] these great [mighty, magnificent] signs [miracles, wonders] before our eyes [in our sight, visibly]. He also protected [preserved, kept] us throughout our journey [way, path] and among all [every, the whole of] the nations [peoples, countries] through which we traveled [passed, crossed]. word study 18 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] drove out [expelled, cast out] before us all [every single one] the nations [peoples, tribes], including the Amorites [a Canaanite tribe, descendants of Canaan] who lived [dwelt, resided] in the land [the earth, the territory]. We too [also, even we] will serve [worship, obey] the LORD [the supreme God], because He [the Creator, the Almighty] is our God [Elohim, our supreme ruler]!” word study 19 But Joshua [the leader, Yahweh is salvation] said to the people, “You are not able [lack the power or strength] to serve [worship, obey] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], for He is a holy [set apart, sacred] God; He is a jealous [zealous, demanding exclusive devotion] God; He will not forgive [lift, pardon] your rebellion [transgression, disobedience] or your sins [guilt, punishment for sin]. word study 20 If you [abandon, turn away from] forsake the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and serve [worship, give allegiance to] foreign [strange, heathen] gods, He will turn [return, come back] and bring [cause, inflict] disaster [evil, hurt] on you and consume [destroy, use up] you, even after He has been [shown, done] good [kindness, generosity] to you.” word study 21 “No [not at all, by no means]!” replied the people [the nation of Israel]. “We will serve [worship, obey, be in bondage to] the LORD [Yehovah, the one true God]!” word study 22 Then Joshua [the leader] told them, “You [as individuals, yourselves] are witnesses [testifying against yourselves, a testimony] against yourselves that you have chosen [selected, decided] to serve [worship, obey] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God].” “We are witnesses [acknowledging, affirming]!” they said. word study 23 “Now [at this time], therefore,” he said, “get rid [put away, turn aside] of the foreign [strange, heathen] gods [Elohim, divine beings] among you and incline [stretch, bow] your hearts [mind, will, emotions] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the God [Elohim, the one supreme God] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob].” word study 24 So the people [the nation of Israel, a people or nation] said to Joshua [a leader], “We will serve [to work, implying slavery or bondage] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] our God [Elohim, the supreme God] and obey [to hear and listen, implying attention and obedience] His voice [a sound, the sound of God speaking].” word study 25 On that day [at that specific time, in that particular era] Joshua [the leader, Yahweh is salvation] made [established, ratified] a covenant [agreement, promise] for the people [the nation, the community], and there at Shechem [in the city, the region] he established [set, appointed] for them a statute [law, decree] and ordinance [justice, judgment]. word study 26 Joshua [the leader, Yahweh is salvation] recorded these things [the accounts, the chronicles] in the Book [scroll, written document] of the Law [instruction, teaching] of God [Elohim, the supreme God]. Then he took a large [great, massive] stone and set it up there [in that place, at that location] under the oak [strong tree, landmark] that was near [adjacent to, by] the sanctuary [holy place, temple] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. word study 27 And Joshua [the leader] said to all the people, “You see [behold, look] this stone [a witness, a memorial]. It will be a witness [a testimony, a reminder] against us, for it has heard [listened, obeyed] all the words [commands, promises] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] has spoken [communicated, revealed] to us, and it will be a witness [a warning, a reminder] against you if you ever deny [reject, forsake] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God].” word study 28 Then Joshua [the leader, Yahweh is salvation] sent [dismissed, let depart] the people [a nation, a group of individuals] away, each [every man, individually] to his own [personal, inherited] inheritance [property, heritage, something passed down]. word study 29 Some time later [after these things, afterwards], Joshua [the leader, successor of Moses] son of Nun [the father of Joshua, a leader of the Israelites], the servant [slave, bondservant] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], died [passed away, came to the end of his life] at the age of 110 [a hundred and ten years old, having lived a full life]. word study 30 And they buried [laid to rest, interred] him in the land [territory, region] of his inheritance [property, heritage, something passed down], at Timnath-serah [portion of the sun, a city in the mountains] in the hill country [mountainous region, highlands] of Ephraim [doubly fruitful, referring to Joseph’s son and the tribe], north [on the north side, towards the Zaphon] of Mount Gaash [a hill in Palestine, meaning quaking or shaking]. word study 31 Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] had served [worshiped, obeyed] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] throughout the days [the entire period, all the time] of Joshua [the leader who helped the Israelites conquer Canaan] and of the elders [the wise and experienced leaders] who outlived [survived, remained after] him and who had experienced [known, witnessed] all the works [deeds, actions] that the LORD [the supreme God] had done [accomplished, performed] for Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. word study 32 And the bones [remains, skeletal frame] of Joseph [Jehovah has added], which the Israelites [descendants of Jacob] had brought up out of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], were buried [interred, laid to rest] at Shechem [a city in Palestine] in the plot [portion, parcel] of land that Jacob [the supplanter] had purchased [acquired, bought] from the sons of Hamor [the father of Shechem], Shechem’s father, for a hundred [one hundred] pieces of silver [coins, money]. So it became [was established as] an inheritance [heritage, possession] for Joseph’s descendants [sons, children]. word study 33 Eleazar [son of the high priest] son of Aaron also died [passed away, came to the end of his life], and they buried [laid to rest, interred] him at Gibeah [a hill, a small mountain], which had been given [granted, allotted] to his son Phinehas [a priest, a spiritual leader] in the hill country [mountainous region, elevated area] of Ephraim [a tribe of Israel, a people of God]. word study