16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; 17for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”
19 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 or your sins. 20If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.” 21And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the LORD!” 22Then 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.” 23He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” 24The people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” 25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem. 26Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak in the sanctuary of the LORD. 27Joshua said to all the people, “See, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us; therefore it shall be a witness against you, if you deal falsely with your God.” 28So Joshua sent the people away to their inheritances.
29 After these things Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred ten years old. 30They buried him in his own inheritance at Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
31 Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD did for Israel.
32 The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the portion of ground that Jacob had bought from the children of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for one hundred pieces of money;[41] it became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.
33 Eleazar son of Aaron died; and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of his son Phinehas, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim.
[1] OrSea of Reeds
[2] Heb Salt Sea
[3] Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth
[4] Or Sea of Reeds
[5] That is the Hill of the Foreskins
[6] Related to Heb galal to roll
[7] Gk: Heb devote to destruction Compare 7.21
[8] Heb She
[9] Mss Syr: MT man by man
[10] That is Trouble
[11] Heb among the people
[12] Heb whole
[13] Heb he
[14] Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain
[15] Gk: Heb men
[16] Heb they
[17] Heb moved his tongue
[18] Heb Salt Sea
[19] Gk: Heb the boundary of King Og
[20] Gk: Heb Gilgal
[21] Cn: Heb With it
[22] Compare Gk: Heb lacks from
[23] Gk Syr Vg: Heb Lidebir
[24] That is the city of Arba
[25] Heb lacks this Arba was
[26] Heb Salt Sea
[27] Meaning of Heb uncertain
[28] Cn See 15.9. Heb westward
[29] Gk: Heb to the slope over against the Arabah
[30] Heb Salt Sea
[31] Gk Syr Vg: Heb the Jebusite
[32] Heb Gibeath
[33] Gk: Heb Kiriath
[34] Cn Compare Gk: Heb Mehebel
[35] Or to Geliloth
[36] Or at Geliloth