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 ancestors1 lived beyond the Euphrates River,2 including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshiped3 other gods, 24:3 but I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates4 and brought him into5 the entire land of Canaan. I made his descendants numerous; I gave him Isaac, 24:4 and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I assigned Mount Seir,6 while Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. 24:5 I sent Moses and Aaron, and I struck Egypt down when I intervened in their land.7 Then I brought you out. 24:6 When I brought your fathers out of Egypt, you arrived at the sea. The Egyptians chased your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 24:7 Your fathers8 cried out for help to the Lord; he made the area between you and the Egyptians dark,9 and then drowned them in the sea.10 You witnessed with your very own eyes11 what I did in Egypt. You lived in the wilderness for a long time.12 24:8 Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought with you, but I handed them over to you; you conquered13 their land and I destroyed them from before you. 24:9 Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, launched an attack14 against Israel. He summoned15 Balaam son of Beor to call down judgment16 on you. 24:10 I refused to respond to Balaam; he kept17 prophesying good things about18 you, and I rescued you from his power.19 24:11 You crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho.20 The leaders21 of Jericho, as well as the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites, fought with you, but I handed them over to you. 24:12 I sent terror22 ahead of you to drive out before you the two23 Amorite kings. I gave you the victory; it was not by your swords or bows.24 24:13 I gave you a land in25 which you had not worked hard; you took up residence in cities you did not build and you are eating the produce of26 vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.’

24:14 Now27 obey28 the Lord and worship29 him with integrity and loyalty. Put aside the gods your ancestors30 worshiped31 beyond the Euphrates32 and in Egypt and worship33 the Lord. 24:15 If you have no desire34 to worship35 the Lord, choose today whom you will worship,36 whether it be the gods whom your ancestors37 worshiped38 beyond the Euphrates,39 or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But I and my family40 will worship41 the Lord!”

24:16 The people responded, “Far be it from us to abandon the Lord so we can42 worship43 other gods! 24:17 For the Lord our God took us and our fathers out of slavery44 in the land of Egypt45 and performed these awesome miracles46 before our very eyes. He continually protected us as we traveled and when we passed through nations.47 24:18 The Lord drove out from before us all the nations, including the Amorites who lived in the land. So we too will worship48 the Lord, for he is our God!”

24:19 Joshua warned49 the people, “You will not keep worshiping50 the Lord, for51 he is a holy God.52 He is a jealous God who will not forgive53 your rebellion or your sins. 24:20 If54 you abandon the Lord and worship55 foreign gods, he will turn against you;56 he will bring disaster on you and destroy you,57 though he once treated you well.”58

24:21 The people said to Joshua, “No! We really will59 worship60 the Lord!” 24:22 Joshua said to the people, “Do you agree to be witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to worship the Lord?”61 They replied, “We are witnesses!”62 24:23 Joshua said,63 “Now put aside the foreign gods that are among you and submit to64 the Lord God of Israel.”

24:24 The people said to Joshua, “We will worship65 the Lord our God and obey him.”66

24:25 That day Joshua drew up an agreement67 for the people, and he established rules and regulations68 for them in Shechem. 24:26 Joshua wrote these words in the Law Scroll of God. He then took a large stone and set it up there under the oak tree near the Lord’s shrine. 24:27 Joshua said to all the people, “Look, this stone will be a witness against you, for it has heard everything the Lord said to us.69 It will be a witness against you if70 you deny your God.” 24:28 When Joshua dismissed the people, they went to their allotted portions of land.71