Joshua 24:1–2; Joshua 24:14–25

red bookmark icon blue bookmark icon gold bookmark icon
Joshua 24:1–2

The Covenant Renewal at Shechem

Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel cto Shechem and dsummoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And ethey presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, Long ago, fyour fathers lived beyond the Euphrates,1 Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and gthey served other gods.


Joshua 24:14–25

Choose Whom You Will Serve

14 gNow therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. hPut away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 iAnd if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, jchoose this day whom you will serve, whether hthe gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or kthe gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. lBut 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 ma holy God. He is na jealous God; ohe will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 pIf you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then qhe 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 ryou have chosen the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. 23 He said, Then sput 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 tmade a covenant with the people that day, and put in place ustatutes and rules for them at Shechem.