Question 1

What is happening in this passage and why is Joshua speaking?

Accepted Answer

This passage takes place late in Joshua’s life, after Israel has enjoyed rest from its enemies in the land God promised them. Joshua is now old and near death, so he gathers the leaders and, through them, speaks to all Israel. He wants to leave them with a clear reminder of what God has done, how God has kept every promise, and what their responsibilities are. It is both a farewell and a serious charge about staying faithful to God once he is gone.

Question 2

What does it mean that the Lord fought for Israel?

Accepted Answer

When Joshua says, “the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you,” he is reminding Israel that their victories over strong nations did not come from their own strength or skill. God himself acted for them, drove out their enemies, and gave them the land. Even when one man chased a thousand, it was because God was with them. This keeps them from pride and calls them to trust God in the future, knowing past success was a gift, not their own doing.

Question 3

Why does Joshua warn Israel about the nations that remain and their gods?

Accepted Answer

Joshua warns Israel not to mix with the nations that still remain in the land, and not even to mention or swear by the names of their gods. He knows that close ties, including marriages, will pull their hearts toward idol worship. If they cling to those nations instead of to God, the people will become a trap and a constant pain to them. This is not about simple contact, but about joining in their worship and ways, which would lead Israel away from the Lord.

Question 4

What does it mean to be very courageous to keep the law of Moses?

Accepted Answer

Joshua tells them to be “very courageous” to keep and do all that is written in the law of Moses. Obeying God is not just about knowing commands, but about having the strength to live by them when it is hard or unpopular. Courage is needed to refuse the customs and idols of the surrounding nations and to stay on the path God set, not turning to the right or left. Their future in the land depends on this steady, brave obedience to what God has already spoken.

Question 5

What does it mean to cleave unto the Lord your God?

Accepted Answer

To “cleave unto the Lord your God” means to hold tightly to him with love, loyalty, and trust. Joshua points out that they have already done this up to that day, and he wants them to go on in the same way. Instead of clinging to the remaining nations through close alliances and marriages, they are to cling to God alone. This shows in obeying his law, refusing other gods, and remembering how he has cared for them and kept his promises in the past.

Question 6

Why does Joshua talk about both good things and evil things from the Lord?

Accepted Answer

Joshua reminds Israel that every good promise God spoke has come to pass. Not one word has failed. On that basis, he warns that God’s words about judgment will also come true if they break the covenant and turn to other gods. “As all good things are come upon you… so shall the Lord bring upon you all evil things” means God is consistent. He is faithful in blessing and also faithful in punishing stubborn disobedience. Both show that his word can be trusted and taken seriously.

Question 7

What are the consequences if Israel turns to other gods in this passage?

Accepted Answer

Joshua says that if Israel goes back, joins with the remaining nations through marriages, and serves their gods, God will stop driving out those nations. Instead, those peoples will become snares, traps, scourges in their sides, and thorns in their eyes. This pictures constant trouble and pain. In the end, Joshua warns they will perish quickly from the good land God has given them. The land, which was a gift, can be lost if they break the covenant and bow to other gods.

Question 8

How does this passage show God’s faithfulness to his promises?

Accepted Answer

Joshua tells the people they know “in all [their] hearts and in all [their] souls” that not one thing has failed of all the good things God spoke to them. Every promise about the land and victory over enemies has come true. This long record of faithfulness is meant to strengthen their trust in God and also to make them take his warnings seriously. If God has kept all his good words, they can be sure he will also keep his words about judgment if they turn away.

Question 9

How can this passage about Joshua’s warning apply to believers today?

Accepted Answer

This passage calls believers today to remember how God has helped them in the past, to give him the credit, and to let that memory fuel steady obedience. It warns that compromise with anything that takes God’s place in the heart brings harm, even if it seems small at first. To “cleave to the Lord” now means holding close to God in love, obeying his word, and being careful about influences that pull us away. God’s faithfulness encourages both trust and careful living.

Joshua 23:1

And it came to pass a long time after that the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.

Joshua’s Charge to Leaders

Joshua’s Charge to Leaders

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Joshua 23:1

And it came to pass a long time after that the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.

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Joshua’s Charge to Leaders

Joshua’s Charge to Leaders

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