Joshua 24:23

Joshua 24:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)“Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)He said, "Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel."
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Now therefore,” he said, “put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel.”

Context of Joshua 24:23

21The people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve [only] the Lord.” 22Joshua then said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the Lord, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” “Now then, remove the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your hearts toward the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and we will listen to and obey His voice.” 25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance at Shechem.

Joshua 24:23 word by word

וְעַתָּ֕ה הָסִ֛ירוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֥י הַנֵּכָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם וְהַטּוּ֙ אֶת־לְבַבְכֶ֔ם אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now therefore put awayסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• the strangeנֵכָרnêkâr · foreignH5236
• godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• amongקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: amongH7130
• you, and inclineנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• your heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for Joshua 24:23

• Joshua 24:14“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in truth; remove the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the [Euphrates] River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
• Genesis 35:2Then Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the [idols and images of] foreign gods that are among you, and ceremonially purify yourselves and change [into fresh] clothes;
• Exodus 20:23You shall not make other gods [to worship] besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make [these lifeless idols] for yourselves.
• Judges 10:15The Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned, do to us whatever seems good to You; only please rescue us this day.”
• 1 Samuel 7:3Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth (pagan goddesses) from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him only; and He will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”
• Hosea 14:2Take the words [confessing your guilt] with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, “Take away all our wickedness; Accept what is good and receive us graciously, So that we may present the fruit of our lips (gratitude).
• 1 Corinthians 10:19What do I mean then? That a thing offered to idols is anything [special or changed simply because it is offered], or that an idol is anything?
• 2 Corinthians 6:18And I will be a Father to you, And you will be My sons and daughters,” Says the Lord Almighty.
• Proverbs 2:2So that your ear is attentive to [skillful and godly] wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding [seeking it conscientiously and striving for it eagerly];
• Hebrews 12:28Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, and offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship with reverence and awe;

Commentaries on Joshua 24:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Now therefore put away - As you have promised to reform, begin instantly the work of reformation. A man's promise to serve God soon loses its moral hold of his conscience if he do not instantaneously begin to put it in practice. The grace that enables him to promise is that by the strength of which he is to begin the performance.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-28Verses 15-28 It is essential that the service of God's people be performed with a willing mind. For LOVE is the only genuine principle whence all acceptable service of God can spring. The Father seeks only such to worship him, as worship him in spirit and in truth. The carnal mind of man is enmity against God, therefore, is not capable of such spiritual worship. Hence the necessity of being born again. But numbers rest in mere forms, as tasks imposed upon…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23Some Israelites had continued to worship idols since they left Egypt and after experiencing 40 years of God’s love and power. Joshua directed them to destroy the idols and turn their hearts to the Lord to serve him alone.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-2814-28. Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth--After having enumerated so many grounds for national gratitude, Joshua calls on them to declare, in a public and solemn manner, whether they will be faithful and obedient to the God of Israel. He avowed this to be his own unalterable resolution, and urged them, if they were sincere in making a similar avowal, "to put away the strange gods that were among them"--a requirement…Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 24:23

• Backsliders
• Covenant
• Decision
• Polytheism
• Shechem

In the dictionaries

• God
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Strange Gods
• Joshua
• Serve
• Apostasy; Apostate
• Covenant, in the Old Testament

Commentaries on Joshua 24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings