Joshua 24:1-15 ▼

1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and he called for the elders of Israel, and for its heads, and for its judges, and for its officers; and they presented themselves before the face of God.

2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says YHWH, God of Israel: ‘On the other side of the River dwelt Your⁺ fathers of old—Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor—and they served other gods.

3 And I took your⁺ father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave to him Isaac.

4 And I gave to Isaac Jacob and Esau, and I gave to Esau Mount Seir to possess, and Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.

5 And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt by what I did among them, and afterward I brought you⁺ out.

6 And I brought your⁺ fathers out of Egypt, and you⁺ came to the sea. And Egypt pursued after your⁺ fathers with chariot and with horsemen to the Red Sea.

7 And they cried out to YHWH, and He put darkness between you⁺ and between the Egyptians, and He brought upon them the sea and covered them, and your⁺ eyes saw what I did against Egypt, and you⁺ dwelt in the wilderness many days.

8 And I brought you⁺ into the land of the Amorite, the ones dwelling on the other side of the Jordan, and they fought with you⁺. And I gave them into your⁺ hands, and you⁺ possessed their land, and I destroyed them from before your⁺ faces.

9 And Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and he sent and called Balaam son of Beor to curse you⁺.

10 And I was not willing to listen to Balaam, and he blessed you⁺ again and again. And I delivered you⁺ out of his hand.

11 And you⁺ went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the men of Jericho fought against you⁺, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. And I delivered them into your⁺ hands.

12 And I sent before your⁺ faces the hornet, and it drove them out from before your⁺ faces—two kings of the Amorite—not by your sword and not by your bow.

13 And I have given to you⁺ a land on which you did not labor, and cities that you⁺ did not build, and you⁺ dwell in them. You⁺ are eating of vineyards and olive groves that you⁺ did not plant.’

14 And now, fear YHWH and serve Him in sincerity and in truth. And put away the gods that your⁺ fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt, and Serve YHWH!

15 And if it seems evil in your⁺ eyes to serve YHWH, choose for yourselves this day whom you⁺ will serve, whether the gods that your⁺ fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorite, in whose land you⁺ are dwelling. And I and my house, we will serve YHWH!”