Joshua 24:22
New International Version
Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.” “Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied.

New Living Translation
“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.”

English Standard Version
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.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then Joshua told them, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.” “We are witnesses!” they said.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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!”

New American Standard Bible
So Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the LORD, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.”

NASB 1995
Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the LORD, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.”

NASB 1977
And Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the LORD, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves Yahweh, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.”

Amplified Bible
Joshua then said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the LORD, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.”

Christian Standard Bible
Joshua then told the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you yourselves have chosen to worship the LORD.” “We are witnesses,” they said.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Joshua then told the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you yourselves have chosen to worship Yahweh."” We are witnesses,” they said.”

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

Contemporary English Version
Joshua said, "You have heard yourselves say that you will worship and obey the LORD. Isn't that true?" "Yes, it's true," they answered.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Joshua said to the people, "You have testified that you have chosen to serve the LORD." They answered, "Yes, we have!"

Good News Translation
Joshua told them, "You are your own witnesses to the fact that you have chosen to serve the LORD." "Yes," they said, "we are witnesses."

International Standard Version
Joshua responded, "You are giving testimony against yourselves, that you have chosen to serve the LORD." They replied, "We are witnesses!"

Majority Standard Bible
Then Joshua told them, ?You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.? ?We are witnesses!? they said.

NET Bible
Joshua said to the people, "Do you agree to be witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to worship the LORD?" They replied, "We are witnesses!"

New Heart English Bible
Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen you the LORD, to serve him." They said, "We are witnesses."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joshua said to the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.

World English Bible
Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen Yahweh yourselves, to serve him.” They said, “We are witnesses.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Joshua says to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves, that you have chosen YHWH for yourselves, to serve Him,” and they say, “Witnesses!”

Young's Literal Translation
And Joshua saith unto the people, 'Witnesses ye are against yourselves, that ye have chosen for you Jehovah to serve Him (and they say, 'Witnesses!')

Smith's Literal Translation
And Joshua will say to the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves, for ye chose to yourselves Jehovah to serve him. And they will say, Witnesses.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Josue said to the people: You are witnesses, that you yourselves have chosen you the Lord to serve him. And they answered: We are witnesses.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Joshua said to the people, “You yourselves are witnesses, that you have chosen the Lord so that you may serve him.” And they answered, “We are witnesses.”

New American Bible
Joshua therefore said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.” They replied, “We are witnesses!”

New Revised Standard Version
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.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And 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.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Yeshua said to the people: “You are witnesses in your souls that you have chosen for yourselves to serve LORD JEHOVAH.” And they said to him: “We are witnesses!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.'--

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joshua said to the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves, that ye have chosen the Lord to serve him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Choose Whom You will Serve
21“No!” replied the people. “We will serve the LORD!” 22Then Joshua told them, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.” “We are witnesses!” they said. 23“Now, therefore,” he said, “get rid of the foreign gods among you and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 26:17-18
Today you have proclaimed that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in His ways, keep His statutes and commandments and ordinances, and listen to His voice. / And today the LORD has proclaimed that you are His people and treasured possession as He promised, that you are to keep all His commandments,

Exodus 24:3-7
When Moses came and told the people all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all responded with one voice: “All the words that the LORD has spoken, we will do.” / And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Early the next morning he got up and built an altar at the base of the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. / Then he sent out some young men of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. ...

1 Samuel 12:3-5
Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.” / “You have not cheated us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.” / Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied.

2 Kings 23:3
So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

Nehemiah 10:28-29
“The rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the people of the land to obey the Law of God—along with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand, / hereby join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath to follow the Law of God given through His servant Moses and to obey carefully all the commandments, ordinances, and statutes of the LORD our Lord.

2 Chronicles 15:12-15
Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul. / And whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, would be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. / They took an oath to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, trumpets, and rams’ horns. ...

2 Chronicles 34:31-32
So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book. / Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin take a stand in agreement to it. So all the people of Jerusalem carried out the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

Psalm 119:106
I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments.

Jeremiah 42:5-6
Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act upon every word that the LORD your God sends you to tell us. / Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God!”

Jeremiah 44:25-26
This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled with your hands your words: ‘We will surely perform our vows that we have made to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out drink offerings to her.’ Go ahead, then, do what you have promised! Keep your vows! / Nevertheless, hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah living in Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by My great name, says the LORD, that never again will any man of Judah living in the land of Egypt invoke My name or say, ‘As surely as the Lord GOD lives.’

Matthew 27:25
All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

Luke 19:22
His master replied, ‘You wicked servant, I will judge you by your own words. So you knew that I am a harsh man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?

John 9:41
“If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

John 15:22-24
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. / Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well. / If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father.

Acts 5:33
When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.


Treasury of Scripture

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

Deuteronomy 26:17
Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice:

Joshua 15:6
And the border went up to Bethhogla, and passed along by the north of Betharabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben:

Luke 19:22
And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

ye have

Psalm 119:11,173
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee…

Luke 10:42
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

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Chosen Decision Joshua Servants Serve Witnesses Yourselves
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Chosen Decision Joshua Servants Serve Witnesses Yourselves
Joshua 24
1. Joshua assembles the tribes at Shechem
2. A brief history of God's benefits from Terah
14. He renews the covenant between them and God
26. A stone the witness of the covenant
29. Joshua's age, death, and burial
32. Joseph's bones are buried
33. Eleazar dies














You are witnesses against yourselves
In this phrase, Joshua is addressing the Israelites, emphasizing their role as witnesses to their own commitment to serve the LORD. The Hebrew word for "witnesses" is "עֵדִים" (edim), which carries the connotation of being a legal witness, someone who can testify to the truth of a matter. This is significant because it underscores the seriousness of their covenant with God. In the ancient Near Eastern context, covenants were binding agreements, often sealed with witnesses who could attest to the terms. By declaring themselves as witnesses, the Israelites are acknowledging their accountability before God and each other.

that you have chosen
The word "chosen" in Hebrew is "בָּחַר" (bachar), which implies a deliberate and thoughtful decision. This choice is not a casual or impulsive one; it is a conscious commitment to follow the LORD. In the broader biblical narrative, the theme of choosing whom to serve is recurrent, highlighting the importance of free will and personal responsibility in one's relationship with God. The Israelites' choice to serve the LORD is a pivotal moment, reflecting their understanding of God's faithfulness and their desire to reciprocate with loyalty and obedience.

to serve the LORD
The phrase "to serve the LORD" is central to the covenant relationship between God and His people. The Hebrew word for "serve" is "עָבַד" (avad), which can mean to work, worship, or serve. This service is not merely about performing religious rituals; it encompasses a lifestyle of devotion and obedience to God's commandments. In the historical context of Joshua, serving the LORD meant rejecting the pagan gods of the surrounding nations and adhering to the laws given through Moses. This service is both an act of worship and a demonstration of allegiance to the one true God.

Yes, we are witnesses
The Israelites' response, "Yes, we are witnesses," reaffirms their commitment and acceptance of the responsibility that comes with it. By agreeing to be witnesses, they are publicly declaring their intention to uphold the covenant. This declaration is akin to a public oath, binding them to their word. In the biblical tradition, words hold power, and making such a declaration is a solemn act. The repetition of the term "witnesses" reinforces the gravity of their commitment and the communal aspect of their faith journey. It serves as a reminder that their relationship with God is not just individual but also collective, involving the entire community of believers.

Verse 22 - Ye are witnesses against yourselves. Joshua has not disguised from them the difficulty of the task they have undertaken. Like a true guide and father, he has placed the case fully and fairly before them, and they have made their choice. He reminds them that their own words so deliberately uttered will be forever witnesses against them, should they afterwards refuse to keep an engagement into which they entered with their eyes open. They do not in any way shrink from the responsibility, and by accepting the situation as it is placed before them, render it impossible henceforth to plead ignorance or surprise as an excuse for their disobedience. And it is well to observe, as has been remarked above, that such an excuse never was pleaded afterwards, that the obligation, though evaded, was never disavowed.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Joshua
יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

told
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

[them],
הָעָ֗ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

“You
אַתֶּם֙ (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

are witnesses
עֵדִ֤ים (‘ê·ḏîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5707: A witness, testimony, a recorder, prince

against yourselves
בָּכֶ֔ם (bā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you
אַתֶּ֞ם (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

have chosen
בְּחַרְתֶּ֥ם (bə·ḥar·tem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 977: To try, select

to serve
לַעֲבֹ֣ד (la·‘ă·ḇōḏ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

the LORD.”
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

“We are witnesses!”
עֵדִֽים׃ (‘ê·ḏîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5707: A witness, testimony, a recorder, prince

they said.
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say


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OT History: Joshua 24:22 Joshua said to the people You (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 24:21
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