Joshua 24 22

Joshua 24:22 kjv

And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.

Joshua 24:22 nkjv

So Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD for yourselves, to serve Him." And they said, "We are witnesses!"

Joshua 24:22 niv

Then Joshua said, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD." "Yes, we are witnesses," they replied.

Joshua 24:22 esv

Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses."

Joshua 24:22 nlt

"You are a witness to your own decision," Joshua said. "You have chosen to serve the LORD." "Yes," they replied, "we are witnesses to what we have said."

Joshua 24 verses

Joshua 24 22 Meaning

Joshua 24:22 presents a pivotal moment where Joshua holds the people accountable for their stated commitment to serve the Lord alone. He declares their own words will serve as evidence against them if they later renege on their vow, thereby confirming that their decision was made freely and intentionally. The people acknowledge this heavy implication, reiterating their consent to be held as witnesses against themselves. This exchange underscores the solemnity and personal responsibility inherent in the covenant renewed that day at Shechem.

Joshua 24 22 Context

Joshua 24 describes Joshua’s farewell address to the Israelites at Shechem, a significant location for covenants in Israelite history (Gen 12:6-7; 35:4; Jos 8:30-35). As his life draws to a close, Joshua gathers all the tribes and recounts God's faithfulness from Abraham to their conquest of Canaan. He then issues a direct challenge to the people: "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served... Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve..." (v. 14-15). The people declare their intention to serve the Lord (v. 16-18). However, Joshua questions their sincerity and warns them about the nature of God: He is holy, jealous, and will not forgive their transgressions if they fail to uphold the covenant (v. 19-20). He knew their history and propensity for spiritual compromise. This verse, Joshua 24:22, comes as the people reaffirm their commitment despite Joshua's solemn warning, sealing their words as a witness against themselves.

Historically and culturally, covenant making in the ancient Near East involved formal procedures, often including explicit oaths, curses, and blessings, with public declarations serving as binding testimonies. This public vow at Shechem underscored the seriousness of their choice, making them self-incriminating parties if they deviated from their pledge. The dialogue between Joshua and the people, particularly Joshua's initial doubt (v. 19), highlights the grave implications of professing loyalty to the Holy God of Israel while potentially harboring pagan influences—a direct polemic against syncretism and polytheism common in their surrounding cultures and indeed within some Israelite households (v. 14, 23). The call was for exclusive, wholehearted devotion to Yahweh, against all competing deities.

Joshua 24 22 Word analysis

Word-by-word analysis:

• Then: Connects this statement to the previous exchange, marking Joshua's immediate response to the people's declaration.
• Joshua: The leader, embodying divine authority, guiding Israel in God's ways. His words carry the weight of prophecy and covenant.
• said: Simple verb, but implies a formal, declarative utterance in a solemn context.
• to the people: Refers to the whole congregation of Israel gathered, ensuring corporate awareness and accountability.
• "You are witnesses": Hebrew: עֵדִים ('edim). Derived from the root עוּד ('ud), meaning "to bear witness," "to confirm," "to protest." It’s a legal term. This implies they are providing their own testimony, which is binding and irrefutable.
• against yourselves": This is crucial. It means their own words and actions will be used as evidence to convict them if they stray. There's no room for denying personal responsibility. It highlights the freedom and intentionality of their choice.
• that you have chosen: Hebrew: בְּחַרְתֶּם (bakhartem). A verb signifying deliberate, active selection. It underscores that their allegiance is a conscious act, not inherited or coerced.
• the Lord: Hebrew: יהוה (Yahweh), the personal covenant God of Israel. Not just any god or an generic Elohim. It emphasizes exclusive devotion to the God who revealed Himself to them and delivered them.
• to serve him: Hebrew: לְעָבְדוֹ (le'ovdo). From עָבַד ('avad), meaning "to work," "to worship," "to serve." This signifies not just belief, but active, obedient devotion and allegiance to Him alone. It implies living according to His commands.
• " And they said": Indicates the immediate, unanimous response from the people.
• "We are witnesses.": A concise, powerful affirmation. They fully accept the terms, acknowledging the binding nature of their commitment and the potential for self-condemnation if they default.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "You are witnesses against yourselves": This phrase functions as a solemn, legally binding challenge. It means the people's own declared commitment becomes their public, undeniable testimony. If they abandon God, their present affirmation will stand as the indictment. It is a powerful affirmation of self-accountability.
• "that you have chosen the Lord to serve him": This section defines the specific content of their commitment. Their choice is personal, deliberate, and directed towards Yahweh, demanding exclusive service and worship. It is a renunciation of polytheism and a declaration of monolatry—exclusive worship of one God, YHWH.
• "And they said, “We are witnesses.”": This represents the people's full, corporate assent to Joshua’s warning. They understood the gravity of their self-imposed accountability and accepted it. Their short, unified response underscores the covenant's binding nature and their voluntary entrance into it.

Joshua 24 22 Bonus section

• Shechem's enduring significance: This place was already hallowed ground, associated with Abraham's first altar to Yahweh in Canaan (Gen 12:6-7) and Jacob burying foreign gods there (Gen 35:4). It reinforced the continuity of God's covenant dealings with Israel's patriarchs.
• The conditional nature of the Old Covenant: This verse, like much of the Old Testament law, illustrates the conditional aspect of the Mosaic Covenant. God's blessings were contingent on Israel's obedience, and their disobedience would incur curses. Their witness against themselves sealed this "if/then" clause.
• A personal call for modern believers: While under the New Covenant of grace, this verse still resonates as a challenge to believers. Every personal decision to follow Christ is a choice to "serve Him" alone. The integrity of our faith and devotion becomes a "witness" to the reality of our professed commitment. It's a reminder to consistently choose God, actively serving Him, and living by faith as we've publicly declared.

Joshua 24 22 Commentary

Joshua 24:22 encapsulates the solemn gravity of covenant relationship between God and His people. After recounting God’s steadfast faithfulness, Joshua challenges Israel to a definitive choice between serving the Lord or other gods. His initial skepticism (v. 19) stems from understanding both God's holy and jealous nature, and the human heart's fickle tendency toward idolatry and disobedience, which he knew Israel possessed. Yet, the people defiantly proclaimed their intention to serve the Lord. Joshua's statement, "You are witnesses against yourselves," forces them to confront the profound responsibility of their verbal commitment. This wasn't merely a promise to God; it was a public declaration where their own words would serve as the incontrovertible proof of their agreement, sealing their destiny if they should falter. Their affirmative "We are witnesses" signified a complete acceptance of these terms, laying bare their future accountability. The verse highlights that true devotion to God requires a deliberate, uncoerced choice for exclusive service and carries weighty, self-imposed consequences if that commitment is not upheld. It emphasizes God's holiness demanding a complete heart, not shared devotion, serving as a timeless reminder that superficial vows have profound eternal implications.