Chapter 24
Covenant Renewal Part One - What God Has Done
24:1 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God.
Again, no time frame is given as to when this assembly was called together by Joshua. This time all of the tribes, the tribal leaders and the judges met in Shechem. The location may have been chosen as it was in Shechem where God first promised Abram the land (see Genesis 12:6-7). It was also the city where Simeon and Levi, the sons of Jacob, massacred all of the men in town, and near where Jacob buried the idols he found in his entourage (see Genesis 33:18-35:4). Note that both Shechem accounts refer to prominent trees (see also Joshua 24:26). The statement that this group presented themselves before God is a reference to the Tabernacle being there (see Joshua 24:26). Some believe it was only temporary moved there for this occasion, while others believe it remained there.
24:2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. 3 Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac. 4 And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. 5 And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out.
Joshua relays the words of YHWH, which is a brief history of the promise of the land beginning with Abram. God told him to leave his idol worshiping past and go “beyond the River” (the word ‘beyond’ is the Hebrew ̀ē’·ḇěr, a word that many believe is the root of the word ‘Hebrew’) and led him through the land of Canaan and gave him many descendants including Isaac then Jacob, and Esau. He gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but to Jacob and his children, who went down to Egypt where He sent Moses and Aaron, He sent plagued Egypt and then brought them out.
24:6 “ ‘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 And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time.
Joshua continues speaking the words given to him from God. Who brought their ancestors out of Egypt to the Red Sea but they were being pursued by the Egyptians trapping them there. When they cried out to Him, He put darkness between them and Pharaoh’s army (see Exodus 14:20) and allowed the Israelites to cross the sea on dry ground. When the Egyptian army pursued they were drowned ass the water closed in on them. God notes that “your eyes saw what I did in Egypt,” since the majority of this audience would not have been present at that time, He was likely referring to the Israelites as a whole group not necessarily just those in attendance, which all undoubtedly heard about the event. Then He noted that they lived in the wilderness for a long time.
24:8 Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. 9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, 10 but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand. 11 And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand.
God then brought them to the land of the Amorites who they fought and He provided the victory. They then encountered Balak who attempted to curse the Israelites through Balaam but failed, God delivered them out of Balak’s hand. And when they went over the Jordan and came to Jericho God gave them victory.
24:12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow.
God also notes that it was Him who sent the hornet (see Exodus 23:28; Deuteronomy 7:20) that drove out the two Amorite kings (see Numbers 21:21-35) and that the victory was not from them fighting with sword or bow. This placement of this account is confusing as it refers to victories on the east side of the Jordan River. Some believe that due to several details seemingly missing that this last oracle of Joshua’s was corrupted, others point out that a Hebrew narrative often follows a theme not always in chronological order.
24:13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’
God concludes by saying that He gave them a ready-to-occupy land. Cities already built, vineyards planted and producing fruit, and olive trees that they did not plant. In other words, God did what He promised.
Covenant Renewal Part Two - Choose Whom You Will Serve
24:14 “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
God did all that He promised He would do, now they are called to fear YHWH and to serve Him in sincerity. Sincerity and faithfulness are issues of the heart, those things that motivate us. This is where love plays a role. Since no one can sincerely and faithfully serve more than one master (see Matthew 6:24), worshiping something contrary to one would compromise the relationship of the other. Which is why they needed to get rid of any idols (or beliefs in any gods or goddesses) they may have acquired while in Egypt or during their exposure around Canaan.
This command for sincere and faithful service may seem to some as being over emphasized as it has been repeated several times. As readers it may be hard to understand how someone who saw many powerful miracles firsthand, can turn away and worship an idol. God told Moses, “For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant. And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as a witness (for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring). For I know what they are inclined to do even today, before I have brought them into the land that I swore to give.” (Deuteronomy 31:20-21, ESV, emphasis added) You can’t hide your heart from God!
24:15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond 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.”
In one of the most popular verses in the Bible, Joshua tells the people, “But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve.” (Joshua 24:15a, NLT) A decision was needed, either choose the gods that your fathers served (some of their fathers served Baal, see Numbers 25:3, but earlier in verse two the author used the same expression “beyond the River” to refer to Abram’s family who were idol worshipers, which may be used to refer to any and all idols, gods, and goddesses) including any of the gods of the Amorites in the land of Canaan, or YHWH. The choice was theirs to make, Joshua clearly stated that for him and his family they were going to serve YHWH.
24:16 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.”
The people choose YHWH explaining that He brought them out of Egypt, showed them miracles, kept them alive, and protected them from any enemies enroute. And it was YHWH who provided them victory over the inhabitants of the land. So, they will serve YHWH, as He is their God.
24:19 But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.”
Joshua undoubtedly surprised the people when he told them that they were not able to serve YHWH, that He is a jealous God, and will not forgive their transgressions (Hebrew p̄iš’ǎ, rebellion) or their sins. This verse has become controversial, why would Joshua say this now. Joshua is actually encouraging them to take these words and this promise seriously. Some interpret this verse to mean that people before Jesus’ arrival could not serve God, which is not true as the Israelites did serve YHWH for many years. But he does warn them again to not serve any foreign gods.
24:21 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 you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 He said, “Then put 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.”
The people responded appropriately with a “No!” That they will serve YHWH. Joshua replied then you are witnesses to what you just said and they agreed. Joshua tells them to dispose any foreign gods that may still be among them and turn their hearts to YHWH the God of Israel. the people then said, “We will serve YHWH our God and obey only Him.”
24:25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. 26 And 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 terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.” 28 So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.
Joshua formalizes their agreement with a covenant between them and God. The covenant was first presented to Moses on Mount Sinai (see Joshua 1:8; 22:5; 23:6), no additional information regarding this renewal is provided. They can stay in the land as long as they are obedient to God. To aid in their recollection and for the benefit of future generations Joshua wrote these words in the book of the Law of God. He also set up a large stone under the terebinth tree that was next to the Tabernacle, and proclaimed that the stone was to be a witness against them if they ever were to go back on their promise. Joshua then sent everyone home to their designated territory inheritance.
Considerations
Full Circle?
We are introduced to a terebinth (Hebrew ‘ē·lā(h)’, an oak or terebinth tree) in Shechem in Genesis chapter 35, where Jacob, after his sons Simeon and Levi murdered the men of Shechem (see Genesis 34), buried their pagan idols and earrings under the terebinth tree near Shechem (see Genesis 35:4) to start afresh with God. And were then sent by God to Bethel where God appeared to Jacob and promised him that he would be a great nation. It is interesting that Jacob’s family (now numbering in the millions) met in Shechem, again near a terebinth tree, to recommit themselves to God.
Joshua’s Death and Burial
24:29 After these things Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being 110 years old. 30 And they buried him in his own inheritance at Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash.
Joshua dies at the age of 110 and was buried in Timnath-serah, the city he inherited (see Joshua 19:50) in the hill country of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash (exact location unknown).
24:31 Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD did for Israel.
The author reports that the people of Israel served YHWH throughout the life of Joshua and all of the elders who outlived Joshua. But for how much longer? The book of Judges picks up where Joshua ends, but it doesn’t take long before we read the ominous words, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6b, ESV)
24:32 As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.
There was still one more promise that needed to be fulfilled, and that was for a promise made in the last chapter of Genesis. Where we read how Joseph made the people of Israel swear that they would carry his bones out of Egypt (see Genesis 50:25), which were later carried by Moses (see Exodus 13:19), and now buried in Shechem on the land his father Jacob bought many years earlier (see Genesis 33:19).
24:33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of Phinehas his son, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim.
The book of Joshua ends with the high priest Eleazar dying, he was buried in Gibeah a town given to Phinehas who is now the high priest.