Joshua 24: The covenant at Shechem, and the deaths of Joshua and Eleazar
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What happens?
Joshua gathers all the tribes at Shechem and tells them what Yahweh says: how he took Abraham from beyond the River, brought Israel out of Egypt, and gave them the land. Joshua tells them to choose today whom they will serve, and says that he and his household will serve Yahweh; the people answer that they will serve Yahweh too, and Joshua makes a covenant with them and sets up a great stone as a witness. Then Joshua dies at one hundred ten and is buried in his own land, Joseph's bones are buried at Shechem, and Eleazar the priest dies.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. In verses 2 to 13 Joshua passes on what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says ("Yahweh, the God of Israel, says"). These are Joshua's words carrying Yahweh's message, so they are not in gold, as with Moses in Deuteronomy. In verses 14 and 15 Joshua speaks in his own words. The people answer in verses 16 to 18, 21, 22 and 24, and Joshua speaks again in verses 19 and 20, 22, 23 and 27. No verse is in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
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.
In plain English: Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He called for the elders of Israel, their heads, their judges and their officers, and they stood before God.
Good to know: Shechem is where Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your offspring" ( and ). Jacob later bought land and built an altar there ( and ), the land where Joseph's bones are buried in .
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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.
In plain English: Joshua said to all the people, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: 'Long ago your fathers lived beyond the River (literally: on the other side of the river): Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor. They served other gods.
The Hebrew words: "Beyond the River" is 'ever ha-nahar, literally "the other side of the river". The dictionary gives nahar as "a stream" and names among its uses "the Nile, Euphrates, etc.", and 'ever as "a region across", "on the opposite side".
What changes: Read as one well-known river, it is the Euphrates, which and call "the great river, the river Euphrates". Read as any river, the verse does not name it, and says only that Israel's fathers lived across a river, far from Canaan. Either way, Genesis says Terah's family lived in Ur of the Chaldees and then in Haran ().
Good to know: Genesis does not say that Terah served other gods. This verse is where the text says it, and the Hebrew "they served" can take in Terah himself or the fathers as a whole. In verses 2 to 13 Joshua speaks Yahweh's words as his messenger, so they are not in gold.
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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.
In plain English: I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan. I made his descendants (literally: seed) many, and I gave him Isaac.
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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.
In plain English: To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave Mount Seir to own, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.
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5“‘I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.
In plain English: "'I sent Moses and Aaron, and I struck Egypt with plagues by what I did among them. After that I brought you out.
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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.
In plain English: I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. The Egyptians chased your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea (literally: the Sea of Reeds).
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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.
In plain English: When they cried out to Yahweh, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea over them and covered them. Your own eyes saw what I did in Egypt. Then you lived in the wilderness a long time (literally: many days).
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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.
In plain English: "'I brought you into the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought against you, and I gave them into your hand. You took over their land, and I destroyed them before you.
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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,
In plain English: Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, rose up and fought against Israel. He sent for Balaam the son of Beor to curse you,
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10but I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you still. So I delivered you out of his hand.
In plain English: but I would not listen to Balaam. So he blessed you again and again (literally: he blessed, blessing), and I rescued you out of his hand.
Good to know: Numbers 22 to 24 tells the story of Balak and Balaam. says the same as this verse: "Yahweh your God wouldn't listen to Balaam, but Yahweh your God turned the curse into a blessing to you".
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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.
In plain English: "'You crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The men (literally: the masters) of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I gave them into your hand.
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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.
In plain English: I sent the hornet ahead of you, and it drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites. It was not by your sword or by your bow.
The Hebrew word: "Hornet" is tsir'ah, which the dictionary gives as "a wasp (as stinging)".
How it is translated: This Bible says "hornet" in all 3 verses that use the word: here, and . Both of those say Yahweh will send the hornet.
What changes: Read as real insects, Yahweh sent hornets that drove the people out. Read as a picture, the hornet stands for the fear Yahweh sent ahead of Israel; just before, in , he says, "I will send my terror before you". The text does not say which, and readers differ.
Good to know: In Rahab names "the two kings of the Amorites" beyond the Jordan as Sihon and Og; this verse does not name the two kings. The old Greek translation (the Septuagint) reads "twelve kings" here.
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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.’
In plain English: I gave you a land you had not worked for, and towns you had not built, and you live in them. You eat from vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.'
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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.
In plain English: "Now then, fear Yahweh and serve him wholly and faithfully (this Bible: in sincerity and in truth). Put away the gods your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve Yahweh.
The Hebrew words: "In sincerity" is tamim, which the dictionary gives as "entire" and "integrity, truth", the word for "blameless" in . "In truth" is emet, which it gives as "stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthiness".
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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.”
In plain English: If serving Yahweh seems bad to you (literally: is evil in your eyes), choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: the gods your fathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve Yahweh."
Good to know: Joshua has just told the people to serve Yahweh (). Here he puts the choice to them, names the other gods they could choose, and gives his own answer first. The people make their choice in verses 16 to 18, and in Joshua uses the same word: "you have chosen Yahweh".
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16The people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake Yahweh, to serve other gods;
In plain English: The people answered, "Far be it from us to leave Yahweh to serve other gods,
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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.
In plain English: because it is Yahweh our God who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs before our eyes. He kept us safe all along the way we went, and among all the peoples we passed through.
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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.”
In plain English: Yahweh drove out all the peoples before us, even the Amorites who lived in the land. So we too will serve Yahweh, because he is our God."
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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.
In plain English: Joshua said to the people, "You cannot serve Yahweh (literally: you will not be able to serve Yahweh), because he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive (literally: will not lift) your rebellion (this Bible: disobedience) or your sins.
The Hebrew word: "Jealous" here is qanno, which the dictionary gives as "jealous or angry".
How it is translated: This Bible says "jealous" in both verses that use qanno: here and . A like word, qanna, is used when Yahweh calls himself "a jealous God" in and .
Good to know: Joshua tells the people they cannot serve Yahweh, and gives his reasons: Yahweh is holy, he is jealous, and he will not forgive their rebellion and sins. The people answer "No! We will serve Yahweh" (). The text does not explain Joshua's words further, and readers explain them in different ways.
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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.”
In plain English: If you leave Yahweh and serve foreign gods, he will turn and do you harm and make an end of you, after he has done you good."
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21The people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve Yahweh.”
In plain English: The people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve Yahweh."
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22Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen Yahweh yourselves, to serve him.” They said, “We are witnesses.”
In plain English: Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen Yahweh for yourselves, to serve him." They said, "We are witnesses."
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23“Now therefore put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to Yahweh, the God of Israel.”
In plain English: "Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and turn your hearts (literally: incline your heart) to Yahweh, the God of Israel."
Good to know: At Shechem long before, Jacob told his household, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you", and he hid them "under the oak which was by Shechem" ( and ).
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24The people said to Joshua, “We will serve Yahweh our God, and we will listen to his voice.”
In plain English: The people said to Joshua, "We will serve Yahweh our God, and we will listen to his voice."
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25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
In plain English: So that day Joshua made a covenant with the people, and he set up for them a statute and a rule at Shechem.
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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.
In plain English: Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God. He took a large stone and set it up there under the oak (or: the great tree) that was by the sanctuary of Yahweh.
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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.”
In plain English: Joshua said to all the people, "Look, this stone will be a witness against us, because it has heard all the words Yahweh spoke to us. It will be a witness against you, so that you do not deny your God."
Good to know: In Laban and Jacob also set up a witness in stones: "This heap is witness between me and you today." In an altar is called a witness.
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28So Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.
In plain English: Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.
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29After these things, Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being one hundred ten years old.
In plain English: After these things, Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died. He was one hundred ten years old.
Good to know: In Joshua is "Moses' servant", and Moses is "the servant of Yahweh". This verse is the only place in Joshua where Joshua himself is called "the servant of Yahweh". Joseph also died at one hundred ten (). to tells of Joshua's death and burial again.
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30They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.
In plain English: They buried him within the borders of his inheritance at Timnath Serah, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
Good to know: Joshua had asked for this town and built it (). calls it Timnath Heres.
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31Israel served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, and had known all the work of Yahweh, that he had worked for Israel.
In plain English: Israel served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who lived on after Joshua and who had known all the work Yahweh had done for Israel.
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32They buried the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of silver. They became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
In plain English: The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, they buried at Shechem, in the piece of land Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for a hundred pieces of money (this Bible: silver). They became the inheritance of Joseph's descendants.
The Hebrew word: "Pieces of silver" is qesitah, which the dictionary gives as "an ingot (as definitely estimated and stamped for a coin)".
How it is translated: It is in only 3 verses: here, and , and this Bible says "money" in the other 2.
Good to know: Before he died, Joseph made the Israelites swear to carry his bones up from Egypt (), and Moses took them along when Israel left Egypt (). Here, after the land is given, they are buried at last. Jacob's purchase of this land is told in , and remembers Joseph's instructions about his bones. speaks of a tomb at Shechem "that Abraham bought" from the children of Hamor; the text does not say how the two fit together.
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33Eleazar the son of Aaron died. They buried him in the hill of Phinehas his son, which was given him in the hill country of Ephraim.
In plain English: Eleazar the son of Aaron died. They buried him on the hill of Phinehas his son (or: at Gibeah of Phinehas his son), which had been given to him in the hill country of Ephraim.
The Hebrew word: "The hill" is giv'ah, which the dictionary gives as "a hillock". The same word is used as the name of towns called Gibeah.
What changes: Read as "the hill of Phinehas", Eleazar is buried on a hill that belonged to his son. Read as a name, he is buried at a town called Gibeah of Phinehas. Phinehas is the priest who went to the eastern tribes in .
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