And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
If you think it's wrong to serve the LORD, then choose today who you will serve. Will you serve the gods your ancestors worshiped before they crossed the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.
Joshua is challenging the Israelites to make a clear decision about who they will worship, while boldly declaring his own family's commitment to serve God.
📚 Historical Context
Joshua is giving his final speech to the Israelites at Shechem, near the end of his life after they had conquered and settled in the Promised Land. The people were being tempted to worship the local Canaanite gods (Amorites) or return to the old gods their ancestors had served in Mesopotamia before Abraham's time. This was a critical moment where Joshua demanded they choose their loyalty once and for all.
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