Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Study Note
Study Note
Joshua's challenge — 'choose this day whom you will serve' — framed between the gods of the Euphrates, the Amorites, and the LORD, presents covenant renewal as a genuine volitional choice requiring active decision rather than cultural inheritance. The personal declaration that follows — 'but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD' — models the kind of first-person commitment the covenant demands, distinguishing it from merely tribal or national affiliation. The Shechem assembly represents the formal constituting moment of the tribal confederation under covenant, parallel in function to Deuteronomy's Moab covenant (Deuteronomy 29-30). The verse has become the paradigmatic expression of individual and household covenant decision in Christian preaching and devotion.
Other Translations
And if it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah.
and if wrong in your eyes to serve Jehovah--choose for you to-day whom ye do serve; --whether the gods whom your fathers served, which <FI>are<Fi> beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorite in whose land ye are dwelling; and I and my house--we serve Jehovah.'
And if it seems evil to you to be the servants of the Lord, make the decision this day whose servants you will be: of the gods whose servants your fathers were across the River, or of the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living: but I and my house will be the servants of the Lord.
Cross References
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the …
Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly …
Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, …
Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and …
Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, …
Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from …
And I said unto you, I am the Lord your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose …
And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou …
And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, …