Joshua 24:16
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Joshua asks them to choose, not as if God's service is optional, but to gauge their hearts. The people's emphatic "God forbid!" reveals that even as they declare their loyalty, the very question exposes a potential for them to "forsake the LORD" that they readily dismiss. Their immediate, strong refusal highlights their present conviction, while hinting at the ongoing struggle against temptation that Joshua will soon address.
After Joshua lays out the Israelites' history with God—from their ancestors to their deliverance from Egypt and conquest of Canaan—he challenges them to choose whom they will serve. This isn't a neutral suggestion, but a stark choice between the LORD and the idols their fathers or neighbors worshipped, with Joshua declaring his own household's commitment to God. The people respond with an emphatic refusal to abandon the LORD, citing His powerful deliverance and guidance as their reason.
Joshua doesn't just demand loyalty; he presents a choice. Why is this critical for a genuine covenant with God?
Joshua’s question, 'choose you this day whom ye will serve' (Joshua 24:15), isn't a casual suggestion. It's a profound challenge designed to ensure Israel's commitment isn't forced or shallow.
The Danger of Unthinking Promises
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When Israel hears the word 'forsake the LORD,' their reaction is intense. What does this strong language reveal about their understanding of God?
The people's immediate reply, 'Far be it from us,' expresses a deep revulsion towards the idea of abandoning God. This isn't just a casual 'no'; it's a passionate declaration.
Reasons for Their Strong Response
Joshua turns Israel's bold declaration into something more. What happens when a personal vow becomes a public covenant?
Joshua doesn't let the people's passionate response remain just an emotional outburst. He presses them further, declaring, 'You are witnesses against yourselves' (Joshua 24:22).
The Weight of a Public Covenant
Understand the original words
azab · Hebrew Verb
To abandon, leave behind, or desert someone or something to which one has a relationship or obligation. In the Bible, it frequently refers to covenant-breaking by turning away from God to idols.
abad · Hebrew Verb
In a biblical context, to serve (Hebrew 'avad) signifies worship, work, service, and total allegiance. It implies a state of servitude or ministry to a master or deity.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the God of Israel, the covenant-keeping I AM. It signifies His eternal, self-existent, and faithful nature toward His people.
The people's fervent declaration here was made in the immediate aftermath of conquest and settlement, under the inspiring leadership of Joshua. Yet, this historical context also highlights the fragility of their commitment, as the subsequent period of the Judges shows a recurring pattern of turning away from the LORD.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites completed the military conquest of Canaan, driving out the existing inhabitants.
c. 1406-1386 BC
Division of Land
Joshua oversaw the division of the conquered land of Canaan among the twelve tribes of Israel. This marked a new era of settlement and governance.
c. 1390 BC— this verse
Joshua's Farewell Address
As Joshua approached the end of his life, he gathered the people at Shechem for a final address, reminding them of God's faithfulness and challenging them to commit to serving Him alone.
c. 1390 BC
Renewal of Covenant
Following Joshua's challenge, the Israelites publicly renewed their covenant with the LORD, promising to obey Him and reject the surrounding idolatrous practices.
c. 1386 BC
Death of Joshua
Joshua died at an advanced age, leaving a unified Israel that had, at least at this moment, reaffirmed its commitment to the LORD.
c. 1386 BC - 1076 BC
Period of the Judges
Following Joshua's death, Israel entered a cycle of disobedience, oppression, repentance, and deliverance, often falling back into the worship of foreign gods.
This passage echoes the same theme of choosing between life and death, blessing and curse, mirroring Joshua's challenge and the people's declared choice to follow the LORD.
1 Samuel 12:10-11Here, the Israelites confess their sin of forsaking the LORD to serve Baals and Ashtaroth, highlighting the very 'forsaking' that Joshua's people are vehemently rejecting.
Matthew 6:24Jesus' teaching that 'No one can serve two masters' directly addresses the core issue of choosing loyalty, whether to God or to something else, as seen in Joshua's confrontation.
1 Kings 18:21Elijah confronts the people on Mount Carmel with the same choice: 'How long will you go limping between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him!' This highlights the ongoing struggle with divided loyalties.
Revelation 3:15-16The rebuke to the Laodicean church for being lukewarm and neither hot nor cold speaks to the danger of a faith that is unwilling to fully commit, a warning implicit in Joshua's challenge to the people's bold declaration.
calvinJoshua 24:15-24: "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."
- And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amori…
gillJoshua 24:16: "And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;"
And the people answered and said,.... To Joshua, upon his proposal to them, the option he gave them to serve the Lord or idols, and which was only done to try them: God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods; they speak with the utmost abhorrence of idolatry, as a thing far from their hearts and thoughts, as the most abominable and execrable that could be thoug…
Joshua asks them to choose, not as if God's service is optional, but to gauge their hearts. The people's emphatic "God forbid!" reveals that even as they declare their loyalty, the very question exposes a potential for them to "forsake the LORD" that they readily dismiss. Their immediate, strong refusal highlights their present conviction, while hinting at the ongoing struggle against temptation that Joshua will soon address.
After Joshua lays out the Israelites' history with God—from their ancestors to their deliverance from Egypt and conquest of Canaan—he challenges them to choose whom they will serve. This isn't a neutral suggestion, but a stark choice between the LORD and the idols their fathers or neighbors worshipped, with Joshua declaring his own household's commitment to God. The people respond with an emphatic refusal to abandon the LORD, citing His powerful deliverance and guidance as their reason.
After Joshua lays out the Israelites' history with God—from their ancestors to their deliverance from Egypt and conquest of Canaan—he challenges them to choose whom they will serve. This isn't a neutral suggestion, but a stark choice between the LORD and the idols their fathers or neighbors worshipped, with Joshua declaring his own household's commitment to God. The people respond with an emphatic refusal to abandon the LORD, citing His powerful deliverance and guidance as their reason.
"Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods," — Joshua asks them to choose, not as if God's service is optional, but to gauge their hearts. The people's emphatic "God forbid!" reveals that even as they declare their loyalty, the very question expo…
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