History · Chapter 23 of 24

Joshua 23

Grown old, Joshua gathers Israel's leaders for a farewell charge. He reminds them that the Lord has fought for them and given them rest, and urges them to be courageous in keeping His law, to cleave to the Lord, and to love Him. He warns sternly that if they turn back and mix with the remaining nations, those peoples will become snares, and they will perish from the good land God gave them.

What happens in Joshua 23

A long time after the Lord had given Israel rest from their enemies, Joshua, now old, summons the elders, heads, judges, and officers of all Israel. He recounts how the Lord Himself fought for them against the nations. He assures them that God will drive out the peoples that remain, giving Israel their land as He promised. Then he charges them to be very strong in keeping all that is written in the law of Moses, turning neither right nor left.

They must not mix with the remaining nations, invoke their gods, or bow to them, but cleave to the Lord as they have done. One of them can chase a thousand because God fights for them. Yet Joshua warns solemnly: if they turn back and intermarry with these nations, the peoples will become snares, traps, and thorns, and Israel will perish from the good land the Lord has given.

Joshua 23 in context

This is the first of Joshua's two farewell addresses, paired with the covenant renewal at Shechem in chapter 24. Joshua stands where Moses once stood, delivering final exhortations before his death. His words echo Deuteronomy's covenant structure of blessing and warning.

The remaining unconquered peoples pose the central danger, and Joshua's fear of religious compromise proves prophetic, for the book of Judges opens with exactly this failure.

Main themes of Joshua 23

Joshua 23 (KJV)

1And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. 2And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age: 3And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you. 4Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. 5And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you. 6Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; 7That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: 8But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day. 9For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. 10One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. 11Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. 12Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: 13Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. 14And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. 15Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. 16When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.

Verses to carry from Joshua 23

“But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.”Joshua 23:8

“One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.”Joshua 23:10

“Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.”Joshua 23:11

Reflection

Joshua urged Israel to cleave to the Lord and love Him. Am I holding fast to Christ, or letting small compromises loosen my grip? The nations left in the land became snares. What have I tolerated that could pull me away? Today I can renew my hold on the One who fights for me and never lets go.

A prayer from Joshua 23