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Joshua's Final Challenge
In these farewell speeches, Joshua reminds Israel what Yahweh has done, warns them not to turn to other gods, and calls them to a clear public choice about whom they will serve.
Understanding the passage
Understanding the passage
The passage begins when Joshua is old and gathers Israel’s leaders after Yahweh has given rest from enemies. He first urges courage and obedience, then gathers all the tribes at Shechem and retells Yahweh’s acts from Abraham to their life in the land. Joshua 23:1, Joshua 23:2, Joshua 24:1, Joshua 24:2, Joshua 24:13
Joshua 23:1–24:28Main takeaway
Joshua’s final challenge is that Yahweh’s people should remember his faithful acts and respond with sincere, exclusive loyalty to him.
Explore the teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Joshua warns Israel to stay with YahwehJoshua says Israel has seen what Yahweh has done and that Yahweh has fought for them. Because of that, they must be very courageous to keep and do what is written in the law of Moses, without turning aside.
Explanation
Joshua says Israel has seen what Yahweh has done and that Yahweh has fought for them. Because of that, they must be very courageous to keep and do what is written in the law of Moses, without turning aside. They must not mix worship of Yahweh with the gods of the nations around them.
02A loving warning with serious consequencesJoshua tells the people to take good heed and love Yahweh their God. He warns that if they cling to the remaining nations and their ways, those nations will become a snare and a trap.
Explanation
Joshua tells the people to take good heed and love Yahweh their God. He warns that if they cling to the remaining nations and their ways, those nations will become a snare and a trap. Joshua also says God’s words have proved true, so his warnings should be taken seriously as well.
03Joshua retells Yahweh’s saving actsAt Shechem, Joshua speaks Yahweh’s words, starting with the family beyond the River who served other gods.
Explanation
At Shechem, Joshua speaks Yahweh’s words, starting with the family beyond the River who served other gods. He recounts Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Egypt, the sea, the wilderness, victories in the land, and the gift of cities, vineyards, and olive groves they did not build or plant. This review shows Yahweh’s initiative and provision.
04Choose whom you will serveBecause of what Yahweh has done, Joshua calls the people to fear Yahweh and serve him in sincerity and truth.
Explanation
Because of what Yahweh has done, Joshua calls the people to fear Yahweh and serve him in sincerity and truth. He tells them to put away other gods and choose whom they will serve. When the people promise to serve Yahweh, Joshua reminds them that this is a serious commitment before a holy God.
05A covenant remembered by writing and stoneJoshua makes a covenant, sets out a statute and ordinance, and writes these words in the book of the law of God.
Explanation
Joshua makes a covenant, sets out a statute and ordinance, and writes these words in the book of the law of God. He also sets up a great stone as a witness against the people, then sends them away to their inheritances. The ending stresses public remembrance and accountability.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Why does Joshua say Israel should be courageous and obedient?
Look for what Israel had already seen Yahweh do, and how that becomes the reason for keeping the law and holding fast to him.
02What does Joshua use in chapter 24 to help the people make their choice?
Trace the summary of Yahweh’s actions from Abraham, Egypt, the wilderness, and the land before Joshua says, 'choose today whom you will serve'.
03How does Joshua show that the people’s promise is public and serious?
Notice the words about witnesses, the command to put away foreign gods, and the covenant record with the stone.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Joshua 23:1–16
1After many days, when Yahweh had given rest to Israel from their enemies all around, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years,
2Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said to them, “I am old and well advanced in years.
3You have seen all that Yahweh your God has done to all these nations because of you; for it is Yahweh your God who has fought for you.
4Behold, I have allotted to you these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even to the great sea toward the going down of the sun.
5Yahweh your God will thrust them out from before you, and drive them from out of your sight. You shall possess their land, as Yahweh your God spoke to you.
6“Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that you not turn away from it to the right hand or to the left;
7that you not come among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves to them;
8but hold fast to Yahweh your God, as you have done to this day.
9“For Yahweh has driven great and strong nations out from before you. But as for you, no man has stood before you to this day.
10One man of you shall chase a thousand; for it is Yahweh your God who fights for you, as he spoke to you.
11Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that you love Yahweh your God.
12“But if you do at all go back, and hold fast to the remnant of these nations, even these who remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in to them, and they to you;
13know for a certainty that Yahweh your God will no longer drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you.
14“Behold, today I am going the way of all the earth. You know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which Yahweh your God spoke concerning you. All have happened to you. Not one thing has failed of it.
15It shall happen that as all the good things have come on you of which Yahweh your God spoke to you, so Yahweh will bring on you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you,
16when you disobey the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them. Then Yahweh’s anger will be kindled against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you.”
Joshua 24:1–28
1Joshua 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.
2Joshua said to all the people, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Your fathers lived of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor. They served other gods.
3I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his offspring, and gave him Isaac.
4I gave to Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave to Esau Mount Seir, to possess it. Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.
5“ ‘I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.
6I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and you came to the sea. The Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and with horsemen to the Red Sea.
7When they cried out to Yahweh, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea on them, and covered them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. You lived in the wilderness many days.
8“ ‘I brought you into the land of the Amorites, that lived beyond the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand. You possessed their land, and I destroyed them from before you.
9Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you,
10but I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you still. So I delivered you out of his hand.
11“ ‘You went over the Jordan, and came to Jericho. The men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I delivered them into your hand.
12I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with your sword, nor with your bow.
13I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you didn’t build, and you live in them. You eat of vineyards and olive groves which you didn’t plant.’
14“Now therefore fear Yahweh, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, in Egypt; and serve Yahweh.
15If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”
16The people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake Yahweh, to serve other gods;
17for it is Yahweh our God who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way in which we went, and among all the peoples through the middle of whom we passed.
18Yahweh drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve Yahweh; for he is our God.”
19Joshua said to the people, “You can’t serve Yahweh, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your disobedience nor your sins.
20If you forsake Yahweh, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after he has done you good.”
21The people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve Yahweh.”
22Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen Yahweh yourselves, to serve him.” They said, “We are witnesses.”
23“Now therefore put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to Yahweh, the God of Israel.”
24The people said to Joshua, “We will serve Yahweh our God, and we will listen to his voice.”
25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
26Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of Yahweh.
27Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all Yahweh’s words which he spoke to us. It shall be therefore a witness against you, lest you deny your God.”
28So Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.