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The Lord’s Covenant Renewed

24 Then Joshua summoned all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, including their elders, leaders, judges, and officers. So they came and presented themselves to God.

Joshua said to the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River,[a] and they worshiped other gods. But I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac. To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir, while Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

“Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I brought terrible plagues on Egypt; and afterward I brought you out as a free people. But when your ancestors arrived at the Red Sea,[b] the Egyptians chased after you with chariots and charioteers. When your ancestors cried out to the Lord, I put darkness between you and the Egyptians. I brought the sea crashing down on the Egyptians, drowning them. With your very own eyes you saw what I did. Then you lived in the wilderness for many years.

“Finally, I brought you into the land of the Amorites on the east side of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I destroyed them before you. I gave you victory over them, and you took possession of their land. Then Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, started a war against Israel. He summoned Balaam son of Beor to curse you, 10 but I would not listen to him. Instead, I made Balaam bless you, and so I rescued you from Balak.

11 “When you crossed the Jordan River and came to Jericho, the men of Jericho fought against you, as did the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I gave you victory over them. 12 And I sent terror[c] ahead of you to drive out the two kings of the Amorites. It was not your swords or bows that brought you victory. 13 I gave you land you had not worked on, and I gave you towns you did not build—the towns where you are now living. I gave you vineyards and olive groves for food, though you did not plant them.

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Footnotes

  1. 24:2 Hebrew the river; also in 24:3, 14, 15.
  2. 24:6 Hebrew sea of reeds.
  3. 24:12 Often rendered the hornet. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.

Israel Renews its Commitment to the Lord

24 Joshua assembled all the Israelite tribes at Shechem. He summoned Israel’s elders, rulers, judges, and leaders, and they appeared before God. Joshua told all the people, “This is what the Lord God of Israel has said: ‘In the distant past your ancestors lived beyond the Euphrates River,[a] including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshiped[b] other gods, but I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates[c] and brought him into[d] the entire land of Canaan. I made his descendants numerous; I gave him Isaac, and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I assigned Mount Seir,[e] while Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. I sent Moses and Aaron, and I struck Egypt down when I intervened in their land.[f] Then I brought you out. 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. Your fathers[g] cried out for help to the Lord; he made the area between you and the Egyptians dark,[h] and then he drowned them in the sea.[i] You witnessed with your very own eyes[j] what I did in Egypt. You lived in the wilderness for a long time.[k] 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 conquered[l] their land, and I destroyed them from before you. Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, launched an attack[m] against Israel. He summoned[n] Balaam son of Beor to call down judgment on[o] you. 10 I refused to respond to Balaam; he kept[p] prophesying good things about[q] you, and I rescued you from his power.[r] 11 You crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The leaders[s] of Jericho, as well as the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites, fought with you, but I handed them over to you. 12 I sent terror[t] ahead of you to drive out before you the two[u] Amorite kings. I gave you the victory; it was not by your swords or bows.[v] 13 I gave you a land in[w] which you had not worked hard; you took up residence in cities you did not build, and you are eating the produce of[x] vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.’

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 24:2 tn Heb “the river,” referring to the Euphrates. This has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  2. Joshua 24:2 tn Or “served.”
  3. Joshua 24:3 tn Heb “the river,” referring to the Euphrates. This has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  4. Joshua 24:3 tn Or “through.”
  5. Joshua 24:4 tn Heb “I gave to Esau Mount Seir to possess it.”
  6. Joshua 24:5 tn Heb “by that which I did in its midst.”
  7. Joshua 24:7 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the fathers) has been specified in the translation for clarity (see the previous verse).
  8. Joshua 24:7 tn Or “put darkness between you and the Egyptians.”
  9. Joshua 24:7 tn Heb “and he brought over them the sea and covered them.”
  10. Joshua 24:7 tn Heb “your eyes saw.”
  11. Joshua 24:7 tn Heb “many days.”
  12. Joshua 24:8 tn Or “took possession of.”
  13. Joshua 24:9 tn Heb “arose and fought.”
  14. Joshua 24:9 tn Heb “sent and called.”
  15. Joshua 24:9 tn Or “to curse.”
  16. Joshua 24:10 tn The infinitive absolute follows the finite verb in the Hebrew text and indicates continuation or repetition of the action. Balaam pronounced several oracles of blessing over Israel (see Num 23-24).
  17. Joshua 24:10 tn Heb “blessing.” Balaam’s “blessings” were actually prophecies of how God would prosper Israel.
  18. Joshua 24:10 tn Heb “hand.”
  19. Joshua 24:11 tn Or perhaps, “citizens.”
  20. Joshua 24:12 tn Traditionally, “the hornet” (so KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV) but the precise meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain (cf. NEB “panic”).
  21. Joshua 24:12 tn The LXX has “twelve,” apparently understanding this as a reference to Amorite kings west of the Jordan (see Josh 5:1, rather than the trans-Jordanian Amorite kings Sihon and Og (see Josh 2:10; 9:10).
  22. Joshua 24:12 tn Heb “and it drove them out from before you, the two kings of the Amorites, not by your sword and not by your bow.” The words “I gave you the victory” are supplied for clarification.
  23. Joshua 24:13 tn Or perhaps, “for.”
  24. Joshua 24:13 tn The words “the produce of” are supplied for clarification.