Joshua 24:23 Meaning Explained

Joshua 24:23

He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.”

English Standard Version (ESV)

Joshua's command to "put away the foreign gods" isn't just about getting rid of physical idols; it’s a call to actively remove the hidden tendencies and affections towards anything that distracts from God's singular claim on their hearts. This implies that even without outward symbols, a divided heart can harbor "foreign gods" of lesser loyalties.

What Joshua 24:23 means

After the people have repeatedly pledged to serve the LORD, Joshua presses them further by demanding they purge any foreign gods from their midst. This isn't just about a public commitment; it's a call for total devotion, lest their hidden idols lead them astray again, as had happened in the past.

Removing the Hidden Idols

Joshua urges the people to get rid of 'strange gods.' What does this look like when the idols aren't so obvious?

Joshua’s command to 'put away the strange gods that are among you' wasn't just about visible statues. It pointed to anything that held a higher place in their hearts than the Lord.

What are these 'strange gods'?

Physical Idols: These could be objects brought from Egypt or taken from the Canaanites, representing a lingering attachment to past or conquered cultures.
Internal Inclinations: Commentators suggest it also referred to inner tendencies or affections towards other gods, even if not openly worshipped. Think of it like clinging to old habits or beliefs that conflict with God's truth.
Compromise: It meant anything that distracted from or competed with complete devotion to the God of Israel. This could be a subtle leaning towards superstition, a prioritization of comfort over commitment, or simply holding onto beliefs that didn't align with God's revealed will.

The key is that these 'gods' were among them, suggesting they were present, perhaps even hidden, within the community and within their hearts.

The Heart's True North

Joshua doesn't just tell them what to remove, but where to direct their focus. What does it mean to truly 'incline your heart'?

The second part of Joshua's command, 'incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel,' is the crucial counterpart to removing the foreign gods. It's not enough to clear out the clutter; you must actively orient your life towards God.

What 'inclining your heart' involves:

Deliberate Choice: This isn't passive. It requires a conscious decision to turn your affections, loyalties, and desires towards God. It's an act of the will.

Understand the original words

Original language

foreign godsאֱלֹהִים נֵכָר

elohim nekar · Hebrew Noun Phrase

Deities belonging to other nations or peoples, which stand in direct opposition to the exclusive worship of the one true God; these are considered idols and worthless substitutes for the Creator.

inclineנָטָה

natah · Hebrew Verb

To bend, turn, or stretch out; in a metaphorical sense, it refers to directing one's inner disposition, desire, and volition toward God.

heartלֵבָב

lebab · Hebrew Noun

The seat of the intellect, will, emotions, and moral decision-making; it represents the core of a person's being where true devotion to God originates.

Historical context

Written: Likely composed during the late Bronze Age, around the 13th or 12th century BC.
Author: Traditionally attributed to Joshua, though the final chapters of Joshua may have been compiled or edited by later figures like Eleazar or Samuel.
Location: Written from the land of Canaan, likely Shechem, where the covenant renewal ceremony took place.
Genre: Narrative with elements of covenant renewal and farewell discourse, featuring direct address and rhetorical questions to engage the audience.

Historical background

This verse comes at the end of Joshua's life, after the conquest and settlement of Canaan. It highlights the ongoing tension between the Israelites' covenant commitment to God and the temptation to adopt the idolatrous practices of the surrounding cultures they encountered.

c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites conquered the Promised Land, displacing the native Canaanite peoples and their idolatrous practices.
c. 1370 BC
Period of the Judges Begins
Following Joshua's death, Israel entered a period marked by cycles of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance, showing a recurring struggle with idolatry and faithfulness.
Unknown, but within the Period of the Judges
Micah's Idolatry
The story of Micah, who kept household idols and made an unauthorized shrine, illustrates the persistence of idolatrous practices even within Israelite households.
Unknown, late in Joshua's life— this verse
Joshua's Farewell Address
Joshua gathered the people for a final address, recounting God's faithfulness and challenging them to choose whether to serve the LORD or the foreign gods they had accumulated.

Key themes

01Renouncing idols and false gods
02Wholehearted devotion to God
03Consequences of disobedience
04Choosing to serve the Lord

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 6:5

This passage echoes the command to 'love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might,' highlighting the essential call to undivided devotion that Joshua reiterates.

1 Samuel 7:3

Samuel's exhortation to 'prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only' directly parallels Joshua's command to put away foreign gods and incline their hearts to Israel's God.

1 Kings 18:21

Elijah's challenge to the Israelites, 'How long will you go limping between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him,' starkly illustrates the danger of divided loyalties that Joshua seeks to prevent.

Matthew 6:24

Jesus' declaration that 'No one can serve two masters... You cannot serve God and money,' powerfully expresses the principle that true service requires an undivided heart, a concept central to Joshua's final charge.

Scholarly commentary

Joshua 24:23: "Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel."

24:23 Strange gods - Those idols which you either brought out of Egypt, or have taken in Canaan, which some of you keep contrary to God's command, whether for the preciousness of the matter, or rather for some secret inclination to superstition and idolatry.
wesley

Joshua 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…

calvin

Frequently asked questions

What does Joshua 24:23 mean?

Explain the meaning of Joshua 24:23

What is the context of Joshua 24:23?

Study this verse in Sola

Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.

Open in Sola app Get the app

Ask a follow-up

Ask Sola about this verse

Ask Sola things like:

“What does "foreign gods" mean in the original Hebrew?”
“Why did Traditionally attributed to Joshua, though the final chapters of Joshua may have been compiled or edited by later figures like Eleazar or Samuel. write Joshua 24:23?”
“How does renouncing idols and false gods show up in Joshua 24:23?”

Ask in the Sola app Get the app

Live chat about Joshua 24:23 is available in the Sola app.

This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.

Original language

foreign godsאֱלֹהִים נֵכָר

elohim nekar · Hebrew Noun Phrase

Deities belonging to other nations or peoples, which stand in direct opposition to the exclusive worship of the one true God; these are considered idols and worthless substitutes for the Creator.

inclineנָטָה

natah · Hebrew Verb

To bend, turn, or stretch out; in a metaphorical sense, it refers to directing one's inner disposition, desire, and volition toward God.

heartלֵבָב

lebab · Hebrew Noun

The seat of the intellect, will, emotions, and moral decision-making; it represents the core of a person's being where true devotion to God originates.

Historical context

Written: Likely composed during the late Bronze Age, around the 13th or 12th century BC.
Author: Traditionally attributed to Joshua, though the final chapters of Joshua may have been compiled or edited by later figures like Eleazar or Samuel.
Location: Written from the land of Canaan, likely Shechem, where the covenant renewal ceremony took place.
Genre: Narrative with elements of covenant renewal and farewell discourse, featuring direct address and rhetorical questions to engage the audience.

Historical background

c. 1400 BC

Conquest of Canaan

Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites conquered the Promised Land, displacing the native Canaanite peoples and their idolatrous practices.

c. 1370 BC

Period of the Judges Begins

Following Joshua's death, Israel entered a period marked by cycles of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance, showing a recurring struggle with idolatry and faithfulness.

Unknown, but within the Period of the Judges

Micah's Idolatry

The story of Micah, who kept household idols and made an unauthorized shrine, illustrates the persistence of idolatrous practices even within Israelite households.

Unknown, late in Joshua's life— this verse

Joshua's Farewell Address

Joshua gathered the people for a final address, recounting God's faithfulness and challenging them to choose whether to serve the LORD or the foreign gods they had accumulated.