Joshua 24:2 And Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Long ago your fathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates and worshiped other gods.

◄ Joshua 24:2 ►

New International Version
Joshua said to all 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 and worshiped other gods.

New Living Translation
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, and they worshiped other gods.

English Standard Version
And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods.

Berean Standard Bible
And Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your fathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates and worshiped other gods.

King James Bible
And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

New King James Version
And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods.

New American Standard Bible
Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.

NASB 1995
Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.

NASB 1977
And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.

Amplified Bible
Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, lived beyond the [Euphrates] River in ancient times; and they served other gods.

Christian Standard Bible
Joshua said to all 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 and worshiped other gods.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Joshua said to all 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 and worshiped other gods.

American Standard Version
And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods.

Contemporary English Version
Then Joshua told everyone to listen to this message from the LORD, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates River, and they worshiped other gods. This continued until the time of your ancestor Terah and his two sons, Abraham and Nahor.

English Revised Version
And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD God of Israel says: Long ago your ancestors, Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor, lived on the other side of the Euphrates River and served other gods.

Good News Translation
Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, has to say: 'Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. One of those ancestors was Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor.

International Standard Version
and Joshua told all of the people, "This is what the LORD God of Israel has to say: 'Long ago your ancestors lived beyond the Euphrates River, including Terah, father of both Abraham and Nahor, where they served other gods.

Majority Standard Bible
And Joshua said to all the people, ?This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ?Long ago your fathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates and worshiped other gods.

NET Bible
Joshua told all the people, "Here is what the LORD God of Israel says: 'In the distant past your ancestors lived beyond the Euphrates River, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshiped other gods,

New Heart English Bible
Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Your fathers lived of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joshua said to all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods.

World English Bible
Joshua said to all the people, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Your fathers lived of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor. They served other gods.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And Joshua says to all the people, “Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Beyond the River your fathers have dwelt of old—Terah father of Abraham and father of Nachor—and they serve other gods;

Young's Literal Translation
And Joshua saith unto all the people, 'Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Beyond the River have your fathers dwelt of old -- Terah father of Abraham and father of Nachor -- and they serve other gods;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Joshua will say to all the people, So said Jehovah the God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt beyond the river from everlasting time, Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor and they will serve other gods.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he spoke thus to the people: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt of old on the other side of the river, Thare the father of Abraham, and Nachor: and they served strange gods.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he spoke to the people in this way: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Your fathers lived, in the beginning, across the river: Terah, the father of Abraham, and Nahor. And they served strange gods.

New American Bible
Joshua addressed all the people: “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: In times past your ancestors, down to Terah, father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River and served other gods.

New Revised Standard Version
And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river Euphrates in olden times, even Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nachor; and they served there other gods.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Yeshua said to all the people, “Thus says LORD JEHOVAH, the God of Israel: ‘Your fathers were dwelling at the crossing of the river from antiquity,Terah the father of Abraham and the father of Nakhor, and they were serving other gods there

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Joshua said unto all the people: 'Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor; and they served other gods.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers at first sojourned beyond the river, even Thara, the father of Abraam and the father of Nachor; and they served other gods.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Joshua Reviews Israel's History
1Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges, and officers of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. 2And Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your fathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates and worshiped other gods. 3But I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates and led him through all the land of Canaan, and I multiplied his descendants. I gave him Isaac,…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Genesis 11:26-32
When Terah was 70 years old, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. / This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. / During his father Terah’s lifetime, Haran died in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. ...

Genesis 12:1-3
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you. / I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. / I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

Genesis 31:53
May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.

Genesis 35:2
So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments.

Genesis 35:4
So they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and all their earrings, and Jacob buried them under the oak near Shechem.

Exodus 3:6
Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Exodus 6:3
I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by My name the LORD I did not make Myself known to them.

Deuteronomy 26:5
and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous.

1 Chronicles 1:26-28
Serug, Nahor, Terah, / and Abram (that is, Abraham). / The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael.

Nehemiah 9:7-8
You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham. / You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites and Hittites, of the Amorites and Perizzites, of the Jebusites and Girgashites—to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, because You are righteous.

Isaiah 51:2
Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him.

Ezekiel 16:3
and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.

Matthew 3:9
And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

Matthew 8:11
I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 3:8
Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

Treasury of Scripture

And Joshua said to all the people, Thus said the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelled on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

Your fathers

Genesis 11:26,31
And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran…

Genesis 12:1
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Genesis 31:53
The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

served other gods.

Joshua 24:15
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.

Genesis 31:19,30,32,53
And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's…

Genesis 35:4
And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

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Joshua 24

1. Joshua assembles the tribes at Shechem
2. A brief history of God's benefits from Terah
14. He renews the covenant between them and God
26. A stone the witness of the covenant
29. Joshua's age, death, and burial
32. Joseph's bones are buried
33. Eleazar dies

Berean Study Bible

And Joshua said to all the people
This phrase sets the scene for a significant moment of communal gathering and instruction. Joshua, as the leader of Israel, addresses the entire assembly, emphasizing the importance of unity and collective memory. The Hebrew root for "said" (אָמַר, 'amar) often implies not just speaking, but declaring or proclaiming, indicating the weight of the message. Historically, this moment is pivotal as it occurs at Shechem, a place of covenant renewal, underscoring the continuity of God's promises from Abraham to the present.

This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says
Here, Joshua speaks as a prophet, delivering a divine message. The use of "LORD" (יהוה, YHWH) is the covenant name of God, reminding the Israelites of His eternal and unchanging nature. "The God of Israel" reinforces the special relationship between God and His chosen people. This phrase serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and His active role in the history of Israel, calling them to remember their identity and purpose.

Long ago your fathers
This phrase invites the Israelites to reflect on their ancestral history. The term "fathers" (אָבוֹת, avot) refers to the patriarchs, the foundational figures of their faith. By invoking their forefathers, Joshua connects the present generation to the past, emphasizing the continuity of God's plan and the importance of learning from history.

including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor
Terah is mentioned to highlight the origins of the patriarchal lineage. Terah's inclusion is significant because it acknowledges the family's initial idolatry, setting the stage for Abraham's call and the transformative journey of faith. This reference serves as a reminder of God's grace in choosing Abraham and establishing a covenant with him, despite his background.

lived beyond the Euphrates
This geographical reference to the Euphrates River situates the narrative in a broader historical and cultural context. The phrase "beyond the Euphrates" (בְּעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר, b'ever hanahar) indicates the region of Mesopotamia, known for its polytheistic practices. It underscores the distance, both physical and spiritual, that Abraham's family traveled to follow God's call.

and worshiped other gods
This phrase acknowledges the idolatrous practices of Abraham's ancestors. The Hebrew word for "worshiped" (עָבַד, avad) implies service and devotion, highlighting the contrast between serving false gods and serving the true God. This acknowledgment of past idolatry serves as a powerful reminder of God's redemptive work in calling Abraham out of a pagan environment to establish a monotheistic faith centered on the one true God.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - All the people (see note on Joshua 23:2). The Lord God of Israel. Rather, Jehovah, the God of Israel (see Exodus 3:13). Until the vision to Moses, the God of Israel had no distinctive name. After that time Jehovah was the recognised name of the God of Israel, as Chemosh of the Moabites, Milcom of the Ammonites, Baal of the Phoenicians. Our translation, "the Lord," somewhat obscures this. Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood. Rather, of the river. Euphrates is meant, on the other side of which (see, however, note on last verse) lay Ur of the Chaldees. It is worthy of notice that there is no evidence of the growth of a myth in the narrative here. We have a simple abstract of the history given us in the Pentateuch, without the slightest addition, and certainly without the invention of any further miraculous details. All this goes to establish the position that we have here a simple unvarnished history of what occurred. The manufacture of prodigies, as every mythical history, down to the biographies of Dominic and Francis, tells us, is a process that cannot stand still. Each successive narrator deems it to be his duty to embellish his narrative with fresh marvels. Compare this with the historical abridgment before us, and we must at least acknowledge that we are in the presence of phenomena of a very different ruder. Professor Goldziher has argued, in his 'Mythology among the Hebrews,' that Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob are solar myths, such as we find in immense abundance in Cox's 'Aryan Mythology.' Abraham (father of height)is the nightly sky. Sarah (princess) is the moon. Isaac (he shall laugh) is the smiling sunset or dawn. It would be difficult to find any history which, by an exercise of similar ingenuity, might not be resolved into myths. Napoleon Bonaparte, for instance, might be resolved into the rushing onset of the conqueror who was never defeated. The retreat from Moscow is a solar myth of the most obvious description. The battle of Bull's Run is clearly so named from the cowardice displayed there by the sons of John Bull. It is remarked by Mr. Tomkins that Ur, the city of the moon god, lends itself most naturally to the fabricator of myths. There is only one objection to the theory, and that is the bricks, still in existence, stamped with the words Urn, which compel us to descend from this delightful cloud land of fancy to the more sober regions of solid and literal fact (see 'Studies on the Times of Abraham,' pp. 205-207). In old time. Literally, from everlasting, i.e, from time immemorial, ἀπ ἄρχης. The Rabbinic tradition has great probability in it, that Abraham was driven out of his native country for refusing to worship idols. It is difficult to understand his call otherwise. No doubt his great and pure soul had learned to abhor the idolatrous and cruel worship of his countrymen. By inward struggles, perhaps by the vague survival of the simpler and truer faith which has been held to underlie every polytheistic system, he had "reached a purer air," and learned to adore the One True God. His family were led to embrace his doctrines, and they left their native land with him. But Haran, with its star worship, was no resting place for him. So he journeyed on westward, leaving the society of men, and preserving himself from temptation by his nomad life. No wandering Bedouin, as some would have us believe (see Drew, 'Scripture Lands,' p. 18), but a prince, on equal terms with Abimelech and Pharaoh, and capable of overthrowing the mighty conqueror of Elam. Such an example might well be brought to the memory of his descendants, who were now to be sojourners in the land promised to their father. Guided by conscience alone, with every external influence against him, he had worshipped the true God in that land. No better argument could be offered to his descendants, when settled in that same land, and about to be bereft of that valuable support which they had derived from the life and influence of Joshua.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

And Joshua
יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

said
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the people,
הָעָ֗ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

“This is what
כֹּֽה־ (kōh-)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

the LORD,
יְהוָה֮ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

the God
אֱלֹהֵ֣י (’ĕ·lō·hê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

says:
אָמַ֣ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Long ago
מֵֽעוֹלָ֔ם (mê·‘ō·w·lām)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5769: Concealed, eternity, frequentatively, always

your fathers,
אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ (’ă·ḇō·w·ṯê·ḵem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 1: Father

including Terah,
תֶּ֛רַח (te·raḥ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8646: Terah -- Abraham's father, also a place in the desert

the father
אֲבִ֥י (’ă·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1: Father

of Abraham
אַבְרָהָ֖ם (’aḇ·rā·hām)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 85: Abraham -- 'exalted father', the father of the Jewish nation

and Nahor,
נָח֑וֹר (nā·ḥō·wr)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5152: Nochor

lived
יָשְׁב֤וּ (yā·šə·ḇū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

beyond
בְּעֵ֣בֶר (bə·‘ê·ḇer)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5676: A region across, on the opposite side

the Euphrates
הַנָּהָ֗ר (han·nā·hār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5104: A stream, prosperity

and worshiped
וַיַּעַבְד֖וּ (way·ya·‘aḇ·ḏū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

other
אֲחֵרִֽים׃ (’ă·ḥê·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 312: Hinder, next, other

gods.
אֱלֹהִ֥ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

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OT History: Joshua 24:2 Joshua said to all the people Thus (Josh. Jos)