Joshua 24:16

Joshua 24:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;
• New International Version (NIV)Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods!
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods,
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the people answered and said: “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods;

Context of Joshua 24:16

14“Fear the Lord, and serve him with integrity and faithfulness. Get rid of the gods your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve only the Lord. 15But if you don’t want to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Even if you choose the gods your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live, my family and I will still serve the Lord.” The people responded, “It would be unthinkable for us to abandon the Lord to serve other gods. 17The Lord our God brought us and our ancestors out of slavery in Egypt. He did these spectacular signs right before our eyes. He guarded us wherever we went, especially as we passed through other nations. 18The Lord forced out all the people ahead of us, including the Amorites who lived in this land. We, too, will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”

Joshua 24:16 word by word

וַיַּ֤עַן הָעָם֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר חָלִ֣ילָה לָּ֔נוּ מֵעֲזֹ֖ב אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה לַעֲבֹ֖ד אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• God forbidחָלִ֫ילָהchâlîylâh châlilâh · forbidH2486
• that we should forsakeעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• to serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• otherאַחֵר'achêr · anotherH312
• godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Joshua 24:16

• 1 Samuel 12:23It would be unthinkable for me to sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. I will go on teaching you the way that is good and right.
• Romans 3:6That’s unthinkable! Otherwise, how would God be able to judge the world?
• Romans 6:2That’s unthinkable! As far as sin is concerned, we have died. So how can we still live under sin’s influence?
• Hebrews 10:38The person who has God’s approval will live by faith. But if he turns back, I will not be pleased with him.”

Commentaries on Joshua 24:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16God forbid that we should forsake the Lord - That they were now sincere cannot be reasonably doubted, for they served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and the elders that outlived him, Joshua 24:31; but afterwards they turned aside, and did serve other gods. "It is ordinary," says Mr. Trapp, "for the many-headed multitude to turn with the stream - to be of the same religion with their superiors: thus at Rome, in Diocletian's time, they were pagans; in…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. 16The people responded strongly, showing their determination to follow Joshua's leadership in obeying the Lord.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 24:16

• Shechem
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• Joshua
• Serve
• Apostasy; Apostate
• Covenant, in the Old Testament
• Forbid
• Joshua, Book of
• forsake, forsaken, leave

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