Joshua 24 17

Joshua 24:17 kjv

For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:

Joshua 24:17 nkjv

for the LORD our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way that we went and among all the people through whom we passed.

Joshua 24:17 niv

It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled.

Joshua 24:17 esv

for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed.

Joshua 24:17 nlt

For the LORD our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us.

Joshua 24 verses

Joshua 24 17 Meaning

The people of Israel, responding to Joshua's call to choose whom they will serve, unequivocally declare their allegiance to the LORD their God. Their choice is explicitly grounded in the historical reality of God's active, faithful, and miraculous deliverance: He is the One who brought them and their ancestors out of slavery in Egypt, performed mighty signs in their sight, and continuously preserved them through all the perils of their wilderness journey and among hostile nations. This statement signifies a covenant renewal based on profound gratitude and a deep corporate memory of God's redeeming power and sustained protection.

Joshua 24 17 Context

Joshua 24 records the final address of Joshua to the entire assembly of Israel at Shechem, a significant and historic place. Before his death, Joshua challenges the people to "fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness" (Josh 24:14), urging them to put away the gods their fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and to choose whether they will serve the LORD or other gods. This verse (24:17) is the people's decisive response, expressing their resolute commitment to the LORD. Their choice is not based on blind faith but on the irrefutable evidence of God's redemptive history with them, detailed by Joshua in the preceding verses (24:2-13). It is a pivotal moment of covenant renewal, where the new generation formally acknowledges the faithfulness of God that established them as a nation and brought them into the Promised Land. This solemn declaration serves as a bulwark against the persistent temptation of idolatry from the surrounding Canaanite cultures.

Joshua 24 17 Word analysis

• For it is the LORD our God:

  • LORD (YHWH): Refers to the proper, personal, and covenantal name of God. This name reveals God's self-existence and His faithful relationship with Israel, standing in contrast to the nameless or impotent deities of other nations.
  • our God (Eloheinu): This possessive plural pronoun highlights a deeply personal and exclusive relationship between God and His people Israel. It signifies their covenant ownership and God's unique identity to them, setting Him apart from any other "gods."

• who brought us and our fathers up:

  • brought up (he'ĕlānû): A powerful causative verb in Hebrew, "to cause to ascend or go up." It precisely captures the dramatic liberation and elevation of a downtrodden people from oppression to freedom. The inclusion of "our fathers" acknowledges the generational continuity of God's covenant loyalty and His actions on behalf of the whole collective.

• from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery:

  • land of Egypt (ʾerets Mitsrayim): The geographical region of their oppression.
  • house of slavery (bêṯ ʿăbādîm): An evocative and intense phrase emphasizing the completeness of their servitude. They were not merely "slaves," but completely immersed within the "house," signifying total control, lack of freedom, and utter despair, from which God powerfully extricated them. The redundancy serves to intensify the magnitude of their previous bondage and thus the wonder of their deliverance.

• and who did these great signs in our sight:

  • great signs (ʾōtôṯ gedōlōṯ): Refers to the numerous mighty acts and miracles performed by God, including the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the provision of manna, water from the rock, and other divine interventions throughout the wilderness journey. These were tangible, public, and undeniable demonstrations of God's unparalleled power.
  • in our sight: Stresses the verifiable and experiential nature of these events for the eyewitness generation, or through direct testimony to the current generation. It underscores that their faith is rooted in historical, observed facts.

• and preserved us through all the way we went and among all the peoples through whom we passed:

  • preserved us (wayyishmĕrēnû): Means "guarded," "protected," or "kept safe." It points to God's continuous, vigilant, and providential care beyond the initial act of the Exodus. It denotes sustained faithfulness, not merely an initial intervention.
  • through all the way we went: Refers to the entire perilous forty-year journey through the wilderness, a period of immense challenge, threat, and potential for destruction. It highlights God's constant sustenance and guidance.
  • among all the peoples through whom we passed: This specifies God's protection from external enemies and hostile nations encountered during the wilderness wanderings and the subsequent conquest of Canaan. It points to God's victory over the gods and armies of surrounding peoples.

Joshua 24 17 Bonus section

• The collective memory expressed in this verse serves as the bedrock of Israel's national and religious identity throughout the Old Testament, constantly referenced in later Psalms, prophetic oracles, and wisdom literature to remind the people of who their God is and who they are in relation to Him.
• The repetition of the theme "brought out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery" from the Ten Commandments (Exo 20:2; Deut 5:6) in this voluntary oath emphasizes that the people understood God's demands for exclusive loyalty within the context of His prior redemptive actions on their behalf. Their commitment is a proper response to grace.
• This passage exemplifies the call-and-response dynamic of a covenant ceremony, where God's deeds are recounted, a choice is presented, and the people respond with their commitment.
• The phrase "house of slavery" powerfully communicates total dehumanization and dependence, amplifying the grandeur of God's act of deliverance.

Joshua 24 17 Commentary

Joshua 24:17 stands as a powerful and pivotal declaration by the Israelites, representing a corporate embrace of their identity as the people whom the LORD specifically saved and sustained. Their affirmation to serve the LORD is not a superficial pledge but a deep conviction founded upon undeniable historical facts: the LORD's singular act of bringing them out of the utterly crushing "house of slavery" in Egypt, a deed unprecedented among ancient deities. This foundational deliverance was accompanied by visible, "great signs" that confirmed His sovereign power. Furthermore, their acknowledgment extends beyond initial liberation to His sustained "preservation" through the grueling wilderness journey and amidst formidable adversaries. This highlights a God not only mighty to save but also faithful to sustain and protect. The verse underscores that gratitude for God's redemptive history is the compelling basis for true and lasting commitment to Him, making His covenantal acts the very foundation of their allegiance and future.