Yosua 24:1-3

Israel Renews its Commitment to the Lord

24:1 Joshua assembled all the Israelite tribes at Shechem. He summoned Israel’s elders, rulers, judges, and leaders, and they appeared before God. 24:2 Joshua told all the people, “Here is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘In the distant past your ancestors ¹  lived beyond the Euphrates River, ²  including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshiped ³  other gods, 24:3 but I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates ⁴  and brought him into ⁵  the entire land of Canaan. I made his descendants numerous; I gave him Isaac,

Yosua 24:13-16

24:13 I gave you a land in ⁶  which you had not worked hard; you took up residence in cities you did not build and you are eating the produce of ⁷  vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.’

24:14 Now ⁸  obey ⁹  the Lord and worship ¹⁰  him with integrity and loyalty. Put aside the gods your ancestors ¹¹  worshiped ¹²  beyond the Euphrates ¹³  and in Egypt and worship ¹⁴  the Lord. 24:15 If you have no desire ¹⁵  to worship ¹⁶  the Lord, choose today whom you will worship, ¹⁷  whether it be the gods whom your ancestors ¹⁸  worshiped ¹⁹  beyond the Euphrates, ²⁰  or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But I and my family ²¹  will worship ²²  the Lord!”

24:16 The people responded, “Far be it from us to abandon the Lord so we can ²³  worship ²⁴  other gods!

[24:2]  ¹ tn Heb “your fathers.”

[24:2]  ² tn Heb “the river,” referring to the Euphrates. This has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:2]  ³ tn Or “served.”

[24:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “the river,” referring to the Euphrates. This has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:3]  ⁵ tn Or “through.”

[24:13]  ⁶ tn Or perhaps, “for.”

[24:13]  ⁷ tn The words “the produce of” are supplied for clarification.

[24:14]  ⁸ sn Joshua quotes the Lord’s words in vv. 2b-13 (note that the Lord speaks in the first person in these verses); in vv. 14-15 Joshua himself exhorts the people (note the third person references to the Lord).

[24:14]  ⁹ tn Heb “fear.”

[24:14]  ¹⁰ tn Or “and serve.”

[24:14]  ¹¹ tn Heb “your fathers.”

[24:14]  ¹² tn Or “served.”

[24:14]  ¹³ tn Heb “the river,” referring to the Euphrates. This has been specified in the translation for clarity; see v. 3.

[24:14]  ¹⁴ tn Or “and serve.”

[24:15]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “if it is bad in your eyes.”

[24:15]  ¹⁶ tn Or “to serve.”

[24:15]  ¹⁷ tn Or “will serve.”

[24:15]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “your fathers.”

[24:15]  ¹⁹ tn Or “served.”

[24:15]  ²⁰ tn Heb “the river,” referring to the Euphrates. This has been specified in the translation for clarity; see v. 3.

[24:15]  ²¹ tn Heb “house.”

[24:15]  ²² tn Or “will serve.”

[24:16]  ²³ tn Heb “to.”

[24:16]  ²⁴ tn Or “can serve.”