Joshua 24:19 kjv
And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
Joshua 24:19 nkjv
But Joshua said to the people, "You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
Joshua 24:19 niv
Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins.
Joshua 24:19 esv
But Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.
Joshua 24:19 nlt
Then Joshua warned the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins.
Joshua 24 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 11:44-45 | For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy… | God's command for holiness from His people |
| Lev 19:2 | "Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy." | Reinforces God's call to reflect His holiness. |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." | NT application of God's holiness to believers. |
| Isa 6:3 | "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" | Emphasizes God's supreme and intrinsic holiness. |
| Ex 20:5 | You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God... | First Commandment, linking jealousy to idolatry. |
| Ex 34:14 | (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God)... | God's specific revelation of His jealous nature. |
| Deut 4:24 | For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. | God's jealousy linked to judgment and fire. |
| Deut 5:9 | ...for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers... | Echoes the Ten Commandments regarding jealousy. |
| Josh 23:7 | ...that you may not mix with these nations... | Previous warning against syncretism. |
| Jer 31:33 | For this is the covenant that I will make... I will put my law within them... | Prophecy of the New Covenant enabling obedience. |
| Ezek 36:26-27 | And I will give you a new heart... and cause you to walk in my statutes... | God empowering obedience in the new covenant. |
| John 15:5 | I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. | Human inability without Christ. |
| Rom 7:18 | For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. | Paul's confession of inability in the flesh. |
| 2 Cor 3:5 | Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God. | Human insufficiency, divine sufficiency. |
| Ps 78:56-58 | Yet they tested and rebelled against God Most High... acted faithlessly like their fathers... | Israel's history of rebellion and unfaithfulness. |
| Hos 8:1 | For they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law. | Rebellion and breaking covenant brings judgment. |
| Ps 32:5 | I acknowledged my sin to you... Then you forgave the iniquity of my sin. | God does forgive those who repent. |
| 1 Jn 1:9 | If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. | Conditions for forgiveness in NT. |
| Heb 10:26-27 | For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins... | Warning against persistent, unrepentant sin. |
| Judg 2:11-13 | And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals... | Fulfillment of Joshua's warning through Israel's history. |
| Zech 1:3 | Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you... | Call to repentance, God's willingness to return. |
| Acts 5:1-11 | Story of Ananias and Sapphira who withheld some proceeds while pretending to give it all. | God's judgment on deception among His people. |
Joshua 24 verses
Joshua 24 19 Meaning
Joshua 24:19 conveys a solemn warning from Joshua to the people of Israel regarding the nature of God and the demands of serving Him. It declares that the people are inherently unable to serve the Lord truly because He is a holy and jealous God who will not tolerate unfaithfulness or unrepentant sin. This statement serves to strip away any presumption that serving God is casual or easily managed, highlighting the radical commitment required due to God's inherent character and His covenant relationship with His people.
Joshua 24 19 Context
Joshua 24 presents Joshua's farewell address to the Israelites at Shechem, where he gathers all the tribes. It serves as a covenant renewal ceremony, reminiscent of Moses' call for allegiance before his death. Joshua recounts the history of God's faithfulness from Abraham through the exodus, wilderness, and conquest of Canaan. He then presents a stark choice: "Choose this day whom you will serve." The people initially affirm their commitment to serve the Lord (Josh 24:16-18). However, Joshua immediately challenges their resolve in verse 19, reminding them of God's character and the impossibility of serving Him casually or with divided loyalty. This challenge is not a denial of God's grace or His willingness to forgive, but a serious warning against superficial covenant adherence and the fatal consequences of syncretism with the surrounding idolatry that constantly tempted Israel. It underscores the immense demands of worshipping a God who is fundamentally different from the fickle deities of other nations.
Joshua 24 19 Word analysis
- And Joshua said to the people: Joshua, as the spiritual and political leader chosen by God, delivers this pivotal message before his death, carrying significant weight. His authority comes from his commissioning by God and his faithfulness.
- You are not able to serve the Lord: The Hebrew word for "able" is יָכֹל (yakol), meaning "to be able," "to be capable." This is a strong statement of human insufficiency in the face of divine demands. It is not an absolute denial of their potential to obey, but a radical declaration of their inherent inability due to sin and human weakness to serve Him purely, completely, and without blemish. This statement acts as a "litmus test" to expose superficial commitment. It sets the stage for them to realize their need for God's transforming grace.
- for he is a holy God: The Hebrew is אֱלֹהִים קְדֹשִׁים (Elohim Qedoshim), plural for "God," often used for emphasis or majesty. The word for "holy" is קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh), meaning set apart, sacred, utterly pure, distinct, transcendent. God's holiness means He cannot tolerate sin, corruption, or anything that compromises His absolute purity. This directly contrasts with the often amoral or immoral pagan deities who might engage in human-like vices or allow syncretism. YHWH's holiness necessitates purity and devotion from those who approach Him.
- He is a jealous God: The Hebrew is אֵל קַנָּא (El Qanna). "Jealous" (קַנָּא - qanna') here does not imply a human flaw of envy, but a righteous zeal for His covenant, His own glory, and the exclusive devotion of His people. God's "jealousy" protects His unique relationship with Israel; He will not share their worship or affections with any other god. This is a divine attribute demanding singular allegiance. This attribute stands in direct polemic against the polytheistic nature of Canaanite religion where deities could be worshipped side-by-side.
- he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins: This phrase, at first glance, seems to contradict God's forgiving nature often described in the Bible (e.g., Ex 34:6-7, Ps 103:3, 1 Jn 1:9). However, context is key. It refers specifically to unrepentant, presumptuous, or persistent covenant-breaking transgressions. God will not forgive those who continue to rebel, serving other gods, while expecting Him to overlook their unfaithfulness. It's a warning against presuming upon God's grace or attempting to manipulate His covenant. This highlights the severity of breaking allegiance to the Holy and Jealous God; deliberate, unrepentant apostasy carries severe consequences and God will execute His righteous judgment against it. "Transgressions" (פֶּשַׁע - pesha) often implies rebellion, a breaking of relationship. "Sins" (חַטָּאָה - chatta'ah) implies missing the mark or wrongdoing.
Joshua 24 19 Bonus section
- A "High Bar" or Test: Joshua's statement functions as a challenging, perhaps even "shocking," counter-point to the people's confident declaration of service in the preceding verses. It's meant to provoke deeper self-reflection rather than merely accepting a superficial pledge.
- Divine Revelation of Character: The verse emphasizes core, non-negotiable attributes of God – His holiness and jealousy – which define the very nature of His relationship with His covenant people. These attributes are presented as reasons why unrepentant sin cannot be tolerated.
- Foundational for Israel's Later History: This warning sets the stage for the book of Judges and beyond, where Israel repeatedly fails to meet these demands, experiencing the consequences of God's holiness and jealousy through judgment, and ultimately illustrating their deep need for a Savior who can fulfill God's righteous demands on their behalf.
- Pedagogical Purpose: While strong, this statement also serves a pedagogical purpose: to teach Israel about the gravity of their covenant relationship and the severity of true devotion required by God, setting the boundaries for acceptable worship and behavior within the covenant.
- Contrast with New Covenant: The seemingly absolute non-forgiveness stands in contrast to the New Covenant where, through Christ's atoning work and the Holy Spirit, believers are empowered for true service and forgiveness is readily available to those who confess and repent (1 Jn 1:9), thus fulfilling the deeper needs exposed by Joshua's words.
Joshua 24 19 Commentary
Joshua 24:19 serves as a profound theological reality check delivered by a seasoned leader at the close of his life. Joshua's statement, "You are not able to serve the Lord," is not a declaration of inherent, immutable incapacity to ever obey, but a stark exposure of the human heart's struggle against God's nature. It shatters any illusion that service to Yahweh is comparable to the loose, often morally permissive, worship of surrounding pagan deities. His holiness (qadosh) demands absolute purity and separation from sin, making genuine human obedience incredibly difficult without divine enablement. His jealousy (qanna') underscores His absolute claim on His people, utterly rejecting any form of syncretism or divided allegiance, directly opposing the prevailing polytheistic views of their neighbors. Therefore, the declaration that He "will not forgive your transgressions or your sins" is a severe warning against presumption. It speaks to a divine unwillingness to tolerate deliberate, unrepentant rebellion, particularly from those who have explicitly covenanted with Him. It reminds them that grace is not a license for unfaithfulness but an empowerment towards true devotion. The verse foreshadows the history of Israel's recurring sin, demonstrating the ultimate need for God to intervene with a new covenant where obedience is supernaturally empowered (Jer 31, Ezek 36) because the human heart, by its own strength, cannot consistently meet the demands of a holy and jealous God.