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Joshua 23

16 verses

TL;DR

Joshua, nearing the end of his life, reminds Israel of God's faithfulness and urges them to obey His law while warning against idolatry and the consequences of disobedience.

Summary

Joshua gathers the Israelites and their leaders, acknowledging his old age. He recounts the land Israel now inherits from the defeated nations and reminds them that the Lord has fought for them. He exhorts them to keep the law of Moses without turning to the neighboring peoples or their gods. Joshua emphasizes that God will grant them strength, even that one man may defeat a thousand. He cautions that turning back to idolatry will bring sorrow and destruction, likening it to snags and thorns. The chapter ends with a farewell and a warning that if they break the covenant, the Lord’s wrath will swiftly remove them from the good land.

Outline
  1. Joshua’s farewell and call to counsel
  2. Remembrance of God's deliverance and land inheritance
  3. Instruction to obey the law and avoid idolatry
  4. Promise of divine protection and strength
  5. Warning of consequences for disobedience
  6. Closing farewell
Themes
Covenant faithfulnessObedience vs. idolatryDivine protectionHuman responsibilityProphetic warning
Keywords
Israelcovenantlawidolatryobediencefaithfulnesspromisewrathlandinheritance
People
JoshuaIsraelthe LORD
Places
IsraelJordanGreat Sea (Mediterranean)the good land
Things
Law of Mosescovenantidolatryinheritancelandgreat nationsvows
Key Verses
  • Joshua 23:5: Joshua declares the land inheritance and God’s promise.
  • Joshua 23:6-7: He urges strict adherence to the law and warns against idolatry.
  • Joshua 23:13-14: The warning that idolatry will become snags and thorns and the stark contrast between blessings and impending punishment.
  • Joshua 23:16: The final admonition that breaking the covenant will provoke the Lord’s anger and swift destruction.
Questions
  • What does Joshua mean when he says the LORD will give you “great strength” even if you are alone?
  • How does the warning about idolatry reflect the larger biblical theme of covenant fidelity?
  • In what ways does Joshua’s farewell illustrate the tension between divine blessing and human responsibility?
  • What lessons can modern believers draw from Joshua’s instructions about the law of Moses?
  • How does Joshua use the image of “snags and thorns” to describe idolatry?
  • What does the final warning reveal about the nature of the covenant relationship between Israel and God?
Sentiment

mixed
Contains both assurances of blessing and stern warnings of judgment.