Verse
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. – Joshua 24:15
Meaning of Joshua 24:15
The meaning of Joshua 24:15 is that the people of Israel are given the freedom to choose who they like to worship. The verse ‘And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD’ can be divided into parts to understand the intent with the meaning. In this verse, Joshua is addressing Israelites, who had reached the promised land of Canaan.
According to ‘And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell’ Joshua mean that some people have continued to worship Egyptian gods even after being set free and a few people have begun to embrace the new religion of the places they have lived instead of worshipping the Lord who set them free. The phrase ‘but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD’ is Joshua’s declaration in front of the people that he and his family will serve the God of Israel, and whoever chooses the same is free to do so. In other words, Joshua tells his people that God does not force religion on His people.
Interpretations of Joshua 24:15
Joshua 24:15 is one of the most quoted verses from the book of Joshua to declare faith. A few interpretations of Joshua 24:15 are given below.
Interpretation #1 Joshua hated idol worshippers
In this version, the reader believes that Joshua is chastising the Israelites for accepting a different religion. In spite of the phrase ‘choose you this day whom ye will serve’, he or she does not agree that Joshua is, in fact, giving an open invitation to choose their religion for themselves and their families. Also, according to the Ten Commandments, it is a sin to pray to idols. Hence the reader connects the commandment with Joshua’s call or warning to understand that Joshua also hates people who had been worshipping idols or other religious beliefs in those times.
Interpretation #2 New generation of Israelites hated God
Here the reader understands that as it had been 40 years since the Israelites were freed from Egypt, most of the people who had witnessed the parting of the Red Sea have passed away. Hence, the younger generation mostly grew up in the land watching new cultures and traditions. As Joshua narrates the history, once they reach their promised land, he asks them to choose the Lord who rescued their parents and grandparents from slavery. Additionally, in this interpretation, the readers strongly believe that the people who reached Canaan didn’t know about the plagues or rescue. That’s why they must have hated the God of Israel including the laws given by Moses.
Interpretation #3 Serving Lord is a command
In this interpretation, he or she believes that ‘but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD’ means that Joshua is commanding the people of Israel on God’s behalf. Here, Joshua is asking every citizen in the land of Canaan, the promised land, to worship the Lord and leave the gods of Egypt as well the new gods or religion in the land they lived in before coming to Canaan. Also, in this version, the readers connect Joshua’s words with the laws given by Moses though he gives the people an option to choose by quoting, ‘choose you this day whom ye will serve’.
Interpretation #4 Joshua is giving choices to the Israelites
In this interpretation, the reader understands that Joshua is giving a choice to the Israelites. After he had narrated the Exodus story to them, especially the younger generation, he asked them if they considered God and His law as evil. He also adds, ‘‘And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD’. First, he asks who they are willing to serve, God or idols from Egypt or Amorites, while implying that one should serve God because He delivered them from Egypt or serve the false gods from Egypt and the land of Amorite. Thus, he also proclaims what he and his family have chosen to reiterate the importance of God and the law of Moses.
Historical background of Joshua 24:15
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Old Testament and describes the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites and how they were later captured by the Babylonians. The events recorded mostly occurred between the 13th and 12th B.C. Chapter 24 in the book of Joshua can be considered as a farewell by Joshua to the people of Israel as he narrates the story of Exodus and invites them to choose God and leave idol worship.
Literary Devices of Joshua 24:15
The verse Joshua 24:15 is a farewell note to the Israelites after they have reached the promised land. A few literary devices used in verse are given below.
Theme – The major themes of Joshua 24:15 are choice, repentance, and commitment. The minor themes include service and faith.
Assonance – The verse Joshua 24:15 is one of the longest verses in the Bible with rich use of vowel sounds in repetition, and a few are in quick succession. For example, the sound of /i/, the sound of /ee/, the sound of /uh/, and the sound of /o/ in ‘And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.’
Consonance – The verse also has a few consonant sounds in repetition, and few sounds are in quick succession. For example, the sound of /t/, the sound of /r/, the sound of /s/, the sound of /th/, the sound of /d/, and the sound of /n/.
Alliteration – The verse is also rich with repeated consonant sounds, and few are in quick repetition. For example, the sound of /wh/, the sound of /th/, and the sound of /w/.
Ethos – The verse Joshua 24:15 is a good example of ethos, as Joshua uses an emotional plea with the Israelites who had come to the promised land, Canaan, after 40 years. He also adds, ‘And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD’ to encourage them to leave idol worship, believe in God and also proclaims his family’s faith.
