Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 24:16
And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;
16 24. Reply of the People to Joshua’s Address
16. And the people answered and said ] Struck by the solemn earnestness of the address of their leader, the entire people, with one voice, responded to his call by loud and hearty declarations of their determined faithfulness to their covenant with Jehovah.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 16. God forbid that we should forsake the Lord] That they were now sincere cannot be reasonably doubted, for they served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and the elders that outlived him, Jos 24:31; but afterwards they turned aside, and did serve other gods. “It is ordinary,” says Mr. Trapp, “for the many-headed multitude to turn with the stream – to be of the same religion with their superiors: thus at Rome, in DIOCLETIAN’S time, they were pagans; in CONSTANTINE’S Christians; in CONSTANTIUS’S, Arians; in JULIAN’S apostates, and in JOVINIAN’S, Christians again! And all this within less than the age of a man. It is, therefore, a good thing that the heart be established with grace.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And the people answered and said,…. To Joshua, upon his proposal to them, the option he gave them to serve the Lord or idols, and which was only done to try them:
God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods; they speak with the utmost abhorrence of idolatry, as a thing far from their hearts and thoughts, as the most abominable and execrable that could be thought or spoken of; to forsake the word, and worship, and ordinances of God, and serve the idols of the Gentiles, strange gods, whether more ancient or more recent, such as their fathers worshipped in former times, or the inhabitants of the land they now dwelt in, for which they were spewed out of it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
16. And the people answered and said, etc Here we see he had no reason to repent of the option given, when the people, not swearing in the words of another, nor obsequiously submitting to extraneous dictation, declare that it would be an impious thing to revolt from God. And thus it tends, in no small degree, to confirm the covenant, when the people voluntarily lay the law upon themselves. The substance of the answer is, that since the Lord has, by a wonderful redemption, purchased them for himself as a peculiar people, has constantly lent them his aid, and shown that he is among them as their God, it would be detestable ingratitude to reject him and revolt to other gods.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(16) God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods.The feelings of the people are naturally shocked by the bare mention of apostasy. They will not forsake Jehovah on any account. But their answer only betrayed their want of intelligence. They missed the point of Joshuas argument, as may be seen by his reply.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘ And the people answered and said, “God forbid that we should forsake YHWH to serve other gods. For YHWH our God, he it is who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way in which we went, and among all the people through the midst of whom we passed.” ’
Note the implied reference to Exo 20:2, ‘I am YHWH your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage’ demonstrating that those words were rooted in their minds. They protested immediately their horror at the thought that they should forsake YHWH and serve anyone but Him. They had absorbed the words of Joshua and recognised the truth of what he had said about YHWH’s continued deliverance, and they acknowledged the wonders He had wrought, and the way He had preserved them on their journeys, both through ample provision and protection from their enemies. How then could they serve anyone else?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 16-18. And the people answered The whole assembly, which represented the nation, cried out, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, &c.,”Far be from us so abominable a thought! No; we acknowledge no other God than Jehovah, our Deliverer, our Benefactor, our Protector: our utmost desire is to worship and obey him.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
The answer of Israel is just what we might have expected. They have well spoken, said the Lord himself concerning them upon a similar occasion, all that they have spoken. But he who knows what is in the heart, knows what poor, irresolute, weak creatures we are: and, therefore adds, Oh! that there were such an heart in them! Deu 5:28-29 . Reader! if you know anything of your own heart, you have learnt somewhat of its deceitfulness; and, therefore, will not venture to trust it. I know, says holy Paul, that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. Rom 7:18 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 24:16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;
Ver. 16. God forbid that we should forsake the Lord. ] And yet they did thus, not long after Joshua’s death. It is ordinary with the many headed multitude to turn with the stream, to tack about to every wind, to be of the same religion with others their superiors, to keep on the sunny side, wheresoever it be. Thus at Rome in Dioclesian’s time they were Pagans; in Constantine’s, Christians; in Constantius’s, Arians; in Julian’s, Apostates; in Jovinian’s, Christians again; and all this within less than the age of a man. It is therefore “a good thing that the heart be established with grace,” Heb 13:9 that men may “cleave to God with full purpose,” Act 11:23 being “steadfast and unmovable.” 1Co 15:58
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED TEXT): Jos 24:16-18
16The people answered and said, Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; 17for the LORD our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did these great signs in our sight and preserved us through all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whose midst we passed. 18The LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God.
Jos 24:16-18 The people answered This is another of Israel’s affirmations of faith. This is a covenant renewal ceremony, cf. Jos 24:26-27 (also see Jos 24:16-18; Jos 24:21; Jos 24:24).
Jos 24:17-18 These verses reiterate YHWH’s faithfulness and redemptive acts toward Israel: (1) the exodus from Egypt; (2) the miracles of deliverance; (3) God’s presence and care during the wilderness wandering period; and (4) the defeat of the Canaanites and the possession of the Promised Land (cf. Gen 15:16).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Joshuas Last Service to His People
Jos 24:16-33
Joshua did well to discourage their proud vauntings, and to show that the people could not in their own might realize Gods ideal, Psa 105:4. The book of Judges is a bitter commentary on these lofty words.
What the stone of witness was to Israel, the ordinances of the Lords Supper and Baptism are to the Church and to the world. The walls of our private chambers have listened to our prayers and tears. God help us to be true to them!
Joshua and the elders, while they lived, were a steadying influence to Israel. Such was the influence of the Apostles on the early Church. Let us learn the value of character. Compare Jos 24:32 with Gen 50:25 and Exo 13:19. Take heart! The fulfillment of Gods promise may tarry, but His word is sure as the morning light, Hos 6:1-4.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
1Sa 12:23, Rom 3:6, Rom 6:2, Heb 10:38, Heb 10:39
Reciprocal: Jos 22:29 – God forbid 1Sa 20:2 – God forbid 1Ki 21:3 – The Lord Jer 2:20 – and thou saidst