“All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
Parallel translations
- WEB “Now therefore put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to Yahweh, the God of Israel.”
- KJV Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.
- BSB “Now, therefore,” he said, “get rid of the foreign gods among you and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.”
- NKJV “Now therefore,” he said, “put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel.”
- NASB “Now then, do away with the foreign gods which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Joshua commands them to put away the foreign gods among them and incline their hearts to Yahweh. It matters because true devotion requires removing rival idols and reorienting the heart to God.
Overview
Joshua's call implies that hidden idols still remained, so verbal commitment had to be matched by concrete repentance. Inclining the heart to Yahweh shows that obedience is inward as well as outward. This anticipates the gospel promise of a renewed heart, given by God so His people can truly love and serve Him (Ezekiel 36:26).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Josh 24:14“Now therefore fear Yahweh, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, in Egypt; and serve Yahweh.
- 2 Cor 6:16–18What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
- Judg 10:15–16The children of Israel said to Yahweh, “We have sinned! Do you to us whatever seems good to you; only deliver us, please, today.”
- Gen 35:2–4Then Jacob said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, change your garments.
- Heb 12:28–29Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,
- Prov 2:2So as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;
- 1 Sam 7:3–4Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you are returning to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to Yahweh, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
- Ps 119:36Turn my heart toward your statutes, not toward selfish gain.
- 1 Kgs 8:58that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our fathers.
- Ps 141:4Don’t incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity. Don’t let me eat of their delicacies.
- Hos 14:2–3Take words with you, and return to Yahweh. Tell him, “Forgive all our sins, and accept that which is good: so we offer our lips like bulls.
- Exod 20:23You shall most certainly not make alongside of me gods of silver, or gods of gold for yourselves.
- 1 Cor 10:19–21What am I saying then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
- Hos 14:8Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols? I answer, and will take care of him. I am like a green cypress tree; from me your fruit is found.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
How Joshua 24:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.