Joshua 24:16-24

International Standard Version

The Response of the People

¹⁶ In response, the people said, “Far be it from us that we should abandon the Lord to serve other gods, ¹⁷ since the Lord our God is the one who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, from a life of slavery. He did those great things right in front of us, preserving us along the way that we traveled and among all the peoples through whose territory we passed. ¹⁸ The Lord expelled all the people before us, including the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore, we also will serve the Lord, since he is our God.”

¹⁹ So Joshua told the people, “You will not be able to serve the Lord, because he is a God of Holiness. He is a jealous God, and he will forgive neither your transgressions nor your sins. ²⁰ If you abandon the Lord and serve foreign deities, then he will turn and do you harm, consuming you after all^[a] the good he has done for you.”

²¹ “No,” the people replied to Joshua. “We will serve the Lord.”

²² Joshua responded, “You are giving testimony against yourselves, that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”

They replied, “We are witnesses!”

²³ Joshua said,^[b] “Therefore abandon the foreign gods that are among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

²⁴ The people replied,^[c] “We will serve the Lord our God and obey his voice.”