Joshua 24

Joshua 24 is the final chapter of the book, where Joshua gathers the people of Israel to renew their covenant with God. He recounts their history, reminding them of God's faithfulness from the time of Abraham to the present. Joshua challenges the people to serve the Lord wholeheartedly and make a clear decision to reject all other gods. This chapter ends with Joshua's death and burial, marking the conclusion of his leadership over Israel.

Joshua 24:1 (NKJV)
1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

Joshua gathers all the leaders of Israel at Shechem, a significant place in Israel’s history, where God made promises to Abraham. The leaders of the tribes, representing all the people, present themselves before God, preparing for a renewal of the covenant. This assembly marks a formal occasion where the nation's leadership is expected to reaffirm their commitment to the Lord.

Joshua 24:2-4 (NKJV)
2 And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods.
3 Then I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River, led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac.
4 To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.’”

Joshua, speaking on behalf of God, begins by recounting Israel’s early history. He reminds the people that their ancestors, including Abraham’s father Terah, served other gods. But God chose Abraham, leading him to Canaan and blessing him with many descendants. God gave Jacob’s descendants a different path, one leading to Egypt, setting the stage for the deliverance that would later occur.

Joshua 24:5-7 (NKJV)
5 "Also I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to what I did among them. Afterward, I brought you out.
6 Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea.
7 So they cried out to the Lord; and He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, brought the sea upon them, and covered them. And your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. Then you dwelt in the wilderness a long time.’”

God reminds Israel of His intervention during their time in Egypt, emphasizing how He sent Moses and Aaron to deliver them through a series of plagues. The dramatic escape at the Red Sea, where God parted the waters and destroyed the pursuing Egyptians, is highlighted. These miraculous events, witnessed by Israel, showed God's saving power and protection, yet they still wandered in the wilderness for years.

Joshua 24:8-10 (NKJV)
8 “And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, who dwelt on the other side of the Jordan, and they fought with you. But I gave them into your hand, that you might possess their land, and I destroyed them from before you.
9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you.
10 But I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he continued to bless you. So I delivered you out of his hand.’”

God continues to recount how He led Israel into the land of the Amorites, giving them victory over their enemies. He also reminds them of how King Balak of Moab sought to curse Israel through the prophet Balaam, but God intervened, turning the curse into a blessing. This shows God’s unwavering protection and His ability to reverse threats against His people.

Joshua 24:11-13 (NKJV)
11 “Then you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho. And the men of Jericho fought against you—also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I delivered them into your hand.
12 I sent the hornet before you which drove them out from before you, also the two kings of the Amorites, but not with your sword or with your bow.
13 I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’”

God reminds Israel of the victories over the inhabitants of Canaan after crossing the Jordan, highlighting that it wasn’t through their own strength that they conquered the land. God drove out the Canaanites and gave Israel cities and fertile lands they did not build or cultivate, emphasizing His grace and provision in granting them the Promised Land.

Joshua 24:14-15 (NKJV)
14 "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of 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.”

Joshua calls the people to a decisive moment, urging them to fear and serve the Lord sincerely. He challenges them to abandon any remaining foreign gods and make a clear choice. Joshua sets the example by declaring his own loyalty to God, stating that he and his household will serve the Lord. This is a defining moment for Israel's commitment to their covenant with God.

Joshua 24:16-18 (NKJV)
16 So the people answered and said: “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods;
17 for the Lord our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way that we went and among all the people through whom we passed.
18 And the Lord drove out from before us all the people, including the Amorites who dwelt in the land. We also will serve the Lord, for He is our God.”

The people respond enthusiastically, affirming their loyalty to the Lord. They recount how God delivered them from Egypt and performed miracles in their presence, driving out their enemies and giving them the land. They commit to serving the Lord, recognizing that He alone is their God and protector. Their response shows a collective willingness to remain faithful.

Joshua 24:19-20 (NKJV)
19 But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good.”

Joshua warns the Israelites about the seriousness of their commitment to serving the Lord. When he says, "You cannot serve the Lord," he is emphasizing the difficulty and weight of such a commitment because God is holy and jealous, requiring exclusive worship and devotion. Joshua knows the Israelites' tendency to fall into idolatry and warns that if they forsake God and serve foreign gods, they will face severe consequences, as God will not tolerate sin lightly. By saying this, Joshua is also testing the people's sincerity, pushing them to fully grasp the seriousness of their promise and to commit wholeheartedly to serving God, knowing the high standards He holds.

Joshua 24:21-22 (NKJV)
21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord!”
22 So Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord for yourselves, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses!”

The people insist on their commitment to serve the Lord, despite Joshua’s warning. Joshua confirms that their words make them witnesses against themselves—they are testifying to their own responsibility to remain faithful. By acknowledging this, they hold themselves accountable for the choice they are making to serve God.

Joshua 24:23-24 (NKJV)
23 “Now therefore,” he said, “put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel.”
24 And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey!”

Joshua once again calls the people to action, urging them to put away any remaining foreign gods and fully commit their hearts to God. The people reaffirm their commitment, promising to serve the Lord and obey His commands. This exchange solidifies their decision to remain faithful to the covenant.

Joshua 24:25-26 (NKJV)
25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
26 Then Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the Lord.

Joshua formalizes the people's decision by making a covenant with them, establishing it as a statute and ordinance at Shechem. He writes the agreement in the Book of the Law, ensuring that their commitment is recorded. The large stone set up under the oak serves as a physical reminder of the covenant they made with God, symbolizing their binding commitment.

Joshua 24:27 (NKJV)
27 And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness to us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord which He spoke to us. It shall therefore be a witness to you, lest you deny your God.”

Joshua declares that the stone itself will serve as a witness to the covenant, symbolically "hearing" the words spoken during the agreement. This stone becomes a reminder of their promise to serve the Lord, holding them accountable to their commitment. If they later deny God, this stone will stand as a testament to their previous loyalty.

Joshua 24:28 (NKJV)
28 So Joshua let the people depart, each to his own inheritance.

After the covenant renewal, Joshua dismisses the people, allowing them to return to their respective lands and inheritances. This marks the conclusion of the formal gathering at Shechem and the end of Joshua’s leadership over the nation.

Joshua 24:29-30 (NKJV)
29 Now it came to pass after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being one hundred and ten years old.
30 And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Serah, which is in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash.

Joshua’s death at the age of 110 marks the end of his life and leadership over Israel. He is buried in his own inheritance in the mountains of Ephraim, in the area he helped secure for his tribe. Joshua’s life and leadership leave a lasting legacy as the one who led Israel into the Promised Land and helped establish their covenant with God.

Joshua 24:31 (NKJV)
31 Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the Lord which He had done for Israel.

This verse highlights the faithfulness of Israel during Joshua’s lifetime and the lifetime of the elders who continued to serve God. Their firsthand experience of God’s mighty works kept them devoted, ensuring that the people followed the Lord throughout this period. It shows the positive influence of strong leadership rooted in a deep relationship with God.

Joshua 24:32 (NKJV)
32 The bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought up out of Egypt, they buried at Shechem, in the plot of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of silver, and which had become an inheritance of the children of Joseph.

Joseph’s bones, which were brought from Egypt as he requested before his death, are finally laid to rest in Shechem. This act fulfills Joseph’s desire to be buried in the Promised Land, connecting Israel’s history back to their patriarchs and the land God promised them. Shechem becomes a significant place not only for covenant renewal but also as a final resting place for one of Israel's most prominent figures.

Joshua 24:33 (NKJV)
33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died. They buried him in a hill belonging to Phinehas his son, which was given to him in the mountains of Ephraim.

The chapter concludes with the death of Eleazar, the high priest and son of Aaron. His burial in the land given to his son Phinehas symbolizes the end of an era of leadership that began with Moses, Aaron, and Joshua. This moment marks the transition to the next generation of Israel’s leaders as the nation continues to live in the land God gave them.