Joshua 23:7
that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Joshua isn't just saying "don't worship their gods"; he's warning against even the casual mention of their names. This shows how sin often begins subtly, with seemingly harmless interactions that can gradually lead to deeper compromise and eventual full-blown idolatry.
Joshua, now an old man, gathers all of Israel for a final charge, reminding them of God's faithfulness in giving them the land and expelling their enemies. He stresses that their continued possession of this land, and God's ongoing protection, depends entirely on their unwavering obedience to God's law and their complete separation from the surrounding pagan nations. This verse lays out the specific commands against any form of association or assimilation with these peoples, forbidding even the mention or acknowledgment of their gods.
Joshua warns against more than just outright worship. He's talking about the subtle ways we can drift from God. Ever wonder how that happens?
Joshua lays out a clear progression of spiritual danger. It starts with simply 'coming among' or mingling with the remaining nations. This isn't just about physical proximity, but about social interaction and avoiding close relationships. The commentary highlights that this can mean avoiding familiar conversation, contracts, and especially marriage. Why? Because these connections can lead to the next step: 'making mention of the name of their gods.' This doesn't mean casually talking about them, but rather bringing them up in a way that might lend them importance or lead to discussion about them. From there, it escalates to 'swearing by them,' and then to outright 'serving them' and 'bowing down.' This shows us that spiritual compromise is often a gradual process. We need to be mindful of the 'beginnings of sin' and avoid even seemingly harmless interactions that could pull us away from devotion to God.
Joshua's commands go beyond physical acts. What does it really mean to 'serve' or 'bow down' in God's eyes?
Joshua's list—'neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow down to them'—doesn't just address outward rituals. It speaks to the inward disposition of the heart. The commentaries emphasize that 'making mention' could lead to 'approbation and worship,' and that 'bowing down' signifies 'inward reverence or outward adoration.' Swearing by false gods implies acknowledging their power and authority, something only God deserves. True worship isn't just about avoiding forbidden acts; it's about cultivating a heart that is wholly devoted to God. This means actively choosing to 'cleave unto the LORD your God,' as Joshua urges elsewhere. When we understand that God claims our entire being—our thoughts, words, and actions—we can see why even seemingly small compromises are serious.
Understand the original words
bo' · Hebrew Verb
To unite, intermarry, or socially coalesce with foreign peoples, which in the Old Testament context led to spiritual syncretism and idolatry.
abad · Hebrew Verb
In the context of idolatry, this refers to invoking, worshipping, or recognizing the authority of pagan deities, which is strictly forbidden to God's people.
Joshua's strong warning against interaction with the remaining Canaanite nations underscores the ever-present danger of cultural assimilation and the seductive pull of idolatry, even after military victory.
~1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites begin the military conquest of the land of Canaan, driving out many of its inhabitants.
c. 1375 BC
Land Division Among Tribes
The land of Canaan is systematically divided and allotted to the twelve tribes of Israel, though significant areas remain unconquered.
c. 1375 BC - 1350 BC— this verse
Remaining Nations Coexist
Despite Joshua's commands for complete extermination, several Canaanite nations remain within the tribal territories, posing a constant temptation.
c. 1375 BC
Joshua's Final Address
As Joshua nears the end of his life, he gathers the Israelite elders to deliver solemn warnings and exhortations regarding their covenant faithfulness.
This passage lays the groundwork for Joshua's command by stating the first two commandments: no other gods and no idols, directly paralleling the prohibition against serving or bowing down to other gods.
Deuteronomy 10:20This verse echoes Joshua's instructions by commanding Israel to 'fear the Lord your God, serve him, and hold fast to him, and by his name alone shall you swear,' reinforcing the exclusivity of devotion to God.
Psalm 16:4This psalm speaks of avoiding the 'names of the other gods' being 'carried' or 'mentioned,' reflecting Joshua's directive to not make mention of the names of foreign gods and the danger of their remembrance leading to worship.
2 Corinthians 6:14-16The Apostle Paul uses similar language to warn against 'unequal yokes' with unbelievers, directly connecting the idea of mixing with nations to spiritual contamination and idolatry, as Joshua warns against mingling with the Canaanites.
wesleyJoshua 23:7: "That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:"
23:7 Come not - That is, avoid all familiar converse and contracts, but especially marriages with them. Name their gods - To wit, unnecessarily and familiarly, lest the mention of them breed discourse about them, and so by degrees bring to the approbation and worship of them. Nor cause - No…
jfbJoshua 23:5-11: "And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you."
Jos 23:5-11. By Promises.5-11. the Lord your God, he shall expel them from before you, as the Lord your God hath promised you, &c.—The actual possessions which God had given were a pledge of the complete fulfilment of His promise in giving them the parts of the country still unconquered. But the accompl…
Joshua isn't just saying "don't worship their gods"; he's warning against even the casual mention of their names. This shows how sin often begins subtly, with seemingly harmless interactions that can gradually lead to deeper compromise and eventual full-blown idolatry.
Joshua, now an old man, gathers all of Israel for a final charge, reminding them of God's faithfulness in giving them the land and expelling their enemies. He stresses that their continued possession of this land, and God's ongoing protection, depends entirely on their unwavering obedience to God's law and their complete separation from the surrounding pagan nations. This verse lays out the specific commands against any form of association or assimilation with these peoples, forbidding even the mention or acknowledgment of their gods.
Joshua, now an old man, gathers all of Israel for a final charge, reminding them of God's faithfulness in giving them the land and expelling their enemies. He stresses that their continued possession of this land, and God's ongoing protection, depends entirely on their unwavering obedience to God's law and their complete separation from the surrounding pagan nations. This verse lays out the specific commands against any form of association or assimilation with these peoples, forbidding even the mention or acknowledgment of their gods.
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"that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them," — Joshua isn't just saying "don't worship their gods"; he's warning against even the casual mention of their names. This shows how sin often begins subtly, with seemingly harmless interactions that can…
