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)
Joshua warns against not just outright worship, but even casually naming or swearing by the gods of other nations. This highlights how the prohibition against idolatry was so strict that it included avoiding any seemingly minor interaction that could lead down a path of spiritual compromise, emphasizing God's desire for exclusive devotion.
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)
Joshua is speaking to the elders of Israel near the end of his life, reminding them of God's faithfulness in giving them the land and ensuring their continued victory. He stresses that their future success and God's continued blessing depend entirely on their obedience to His commands, specifically by avoiding any association with the Canaanite nations still living among them. This prohibition against mixing with them is meant to prevent the Israelites from falling into idolatry and abandoning God, a warning underscored by the detailed list of forbidden actions.
Joshua warns against more than just outright worship. He details a progressive slide into idolatry, starting with seemingly small interactions.
Joshua lays out a clear, escalating warning against interacting with the remaining nations. It's not just about the big sins; it's about the steps that lead there.
From Casual Contact to Compromise
Joshua's point is that step towards familiarity with these nations is a step away from God, and that these small steps inevitably lead to the big ones.
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Why the strict commands about names and oaths? It's all about where you place your ultimate trust and honor.
Joshua’s commands aren’t just about avoiding bad influences; they are deeply about cultivating loyalty to Yahweh, the Lord God of Israel.
The Power of a Name
The repeated emphasis on not mentioning or swearing by the names of other gods is crucial. In the ancient world, a name carried immense significance – it spoke of identity, authority, and power. To mention a god's name, especially in oaths or casual conversation, was to acknowledge its reality and potentially its power.
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 warning comes at a pivotal moment after the initial conquest but before the full establishment of the monarchy. It highlights the immediate danger of cultural and religious assimilation that Israel faced from the Canaanite nations they lived alongside, emphasizing that maintaining their unique identity and covenant relationship with God was paramount for their continued blessing and survival.
c. 1406 BC
Israel Enters Canaan
After 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites under Joshua cross the Jordan River and begin the conquest of Canaan, a land occupied by various Canaanite nations.
c. 1400-1350 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Joshua leads the Israelites in a series of military campaigns to conquer the land. While many cities are taken, some nations and territories remain, leading to ongoing cohabitation.
c. 1350 BC - 1070 BC
Period of Judges
Following Joshua's death, the Israelites experience cycles of faithfulness, apostasy, oppression by surrounding nations, and deliverance through judges. The remaining Canaanites pose a constant temptation.
c. 1300 BC— this verse
Joshua's Farewell Address
Near the end of his life, Joshua gathers the Israelite elders to remind them of God's faithfulness and to issue a solemn charge to remain faithful to the covenant, warning against assimilation with the remaining Canaanite peoples.
c. 1070 BC
Rise of the Monarchy
Israel eventually desires a king like the surrounding nations, marking a significant shift in their political and social structure, which would further influence their interactions with other peoples.
This passage lays the foundation for Joshua's command, directly prohibiting the worship of other gods and making no mention of their names, emphasizing God's unique claim on Israel's devotion.
Deuteronomy 10:20This verse echoes Joshua's warning, instructing Israel to 'fear the LORD your God, serve him, and cling to him, and swear by his name,' directly paralleling the prohibition against swearing by other gods and the call to exclusive devotion.
Psalm 16:4This psalm reflects a similar sentiment to Joshua's command, lamenting those who 'multiply sorrows' and 'run after another god,' and expressing the psalmist's resolve not to take the name of idols on his lips.
2 Corinthians 6:14Paul uses the imagery of 'not being unequally yoked with unbelievers' to warn against close association with those who do not follow God, a principle that underlies Joshua's strong caution against mixing with the Canaanite nations.
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 warns against not just outright worship, but even casually naming or swearing by the gods of other nations. This highlights how the prohibition against idolatry was so strict that it included avoiding any seemingly minor interaction that could lead down a path of spiritual compromise, emphasizing God's desire for exclusive devotion.
Joshua is speaking to the elders of Israel near the end of his life, reminding them of God's faithfulness in giving them the land and ensuring their continued victory. He stresses that their future success and God's continued blessing depend entirely on their obedience to His commands, specifically by avoiding any association with the Canaanite nations still living among them. This prohibition against mixing with them is meant to prevent the Israelites from falling into idolatry and abandoning God, a warning underscored by the detailed list of forbidden actions.
Joshua is speaking to the elders of Israel near the end of his life, reminding them of God's faithfulness in giving them the land and ensuring their continued victory. He stresses that their future success and God's continued blessing depend entirely on their obedience to His commands, specifically by avoiding any association with the Canaanite nations still living among them. This prohibition against mixing with them is meant to prevent the Israelites from falling into idolatry and abandoning God, a warning underscored by the detailed list of forbidden actions.
"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 warns against not just outright worship, but even casually naming or swearing by the gods of other nations. This highlights how the prohibition against idolatry was so strict that it included…
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Last reviewed October 2026