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Joshua 24:16

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Joshua 24:16 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And the people answered and said, Far be it from us that we should forsake Jehovah, to serve other gods;” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And the people answered and said, Far be it from us that we should forsake Jehovah, to serve other gods;
Joshua 24:16 — American Standard Version

Context — Joshua 24

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
13And I gave you a land whereon thou hadst not labored, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell therein; of vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.
14Now therefore fear Jehovah, and serve him in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt; and serve ye Jehovah.
15And if it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah.
16And the people answered and said, Far be it from us that we should forsake Jehovah, to serve other gods;
17for Jehovah our God, he it is that brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and that did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the peoples through the midst of whom we passed;
18and Jehovah drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites that dwelt in the land: therefore we also will serve Jehovah; for he is our God.
19And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve Jehovah; for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgression nor your sins.
← Joshua 24:15Joshua 24:17 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the people answered and said, etc.] To Joshua, upon his proposal to them, the option he gave them to serve the Lord or idols, and which was only done to try them: God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods; they speak with the utmost abhorrence of idolatry, as a thing far from their hearts and thoughts, as the most abominable and execrable that could be thought or spoken of; to forsake the word, and worship, and ordinances of God, and serve the idols of the Gentiles, strange gods, whether more ancient or more recent, such as their fathers worshipped in former times, or the inhabitants of the land they now dwelt in, for which they were spewed out of it.”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“24:16-18 The people recognized that it was God who rescued them, preserved them, and drove out the Amorites. 24:16 The people responded emphatically, reflecting their determination to follow Joshua’s lead in following the Lord.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Sa1 12:23; Rom 3:6, Rom 6:2; Heb 10:38, Heb 10:39 Joshua 24:17”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification