Joshua 23:15

KJV

Therefore it shall come to pass, [that] as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

KJV (with Strong's)

Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good {H2896} things {H1697} are come {H935} upon you, which the LORD {H3068} your God {H430} promised {H1696} you; so shall the LORD {H3068} bring {H935} upon you all evil {H7451} things {H1697}, until he have destroyed {H8045} you from off this good {H2896} land {H127} which the LORD {H3068} your God {H430} hath given {H5414} you.

Complete Jewish Bible

Nevertheless, just as all the good things ADONAI your God promised you have come upon you, likewise ADONAI will bring upon you all the bad things too, until he has destroyed you from this good land which ADONAI your God has given you.

Berean Standard Bible

But just as every good thing the LORD your God promised you has come to pass, likewise the LORD will bring upon you the calamity He has threatened, until He has destroyed you from this good land He has given you.

American Standard Version

And it shall come to pass, that as all the good things are come upon you of which Jehovah your God spake unto you, so will Jehovah bring upon you all the evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which Jehovah your God hath given you.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Joshua 23:15 delivers a profound and solemn warning from Joshua to the assembled tribes of Israel, serving as a climactic declaration within his farewell address. It stands as a stark reminder of the covenantal nature of their relationship with Yahweh, emphasizing that divine faithfulness extends equally to the fulfillment of both promised blessings for obedience and threatened judgments for disobedience. Just as God meticulously brought every good promise to fruition, so too would He unfailingly execute every "evil thing"—calamity, disaster, and eventual expulsion—upon them if they abandoned their covenant obligations and turned to idolatry.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within Joshua's second farewell address to the leaders and people of Israel, recorded in [Joshua 23](/joshua/23 "Joshua's Farewell Address"). Following the successful conquest and division of the Promised Land, and the initial fulfillment of God's promises to His people (as explicitly stated in [Joshua 21:43-45](/joshua/21-43 "God's Faithfulness in Giving the Land") and reiterated in [Joshua 23:14](/joshua/23-14 "Joshua's Testimony of God's Fulfilled Promises")), Joshua now shifts from recounting past faithfulness to issuing a critical charge and warning for the future. He implores them to remain faithful to the Lord, to love Him, and to avoid intermarrying with the remaining inhabitants or serving their gods. Verse 15 serves as the sharp, negative counterpart to the preceding verses, which celebrate God's past fidelity and the blessings received. It underscores the conditional nature of their continued enjoyment of the land, presenting a clear choice between life and death, blessing and curse, echoing the foundational principles of the Mosaic covenant.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Joshua's address occurs at a pivotal moment in Israel's history: the transition from the generation of conquest to the challenges of settling and maintaining their identity in the Promised Land. The surrounding Canaanite cultures were polytheistic, characterized by idolatry, fertility cults, and abhorrent practices. The covenant between Yahweh and Israel, established at Sinai, was unique in its demand for exclusive monotheistic worship and moral purity. This covenant, often structured like ancient Near Eastern suzerainty treaties, included explicit stipulations, blessings for obedience, and curses for disobedience. The "good land" was not merely a geographical location but a theological concept—the place of God's dwelling among His people, a place of rest and blessing. The threat of being "destroyed... from off this good land" was a deeply significant cultural and theological consequence, implying not just physical removal but the loss of their unique covenantal relationship and identity as God's chosen people in their designated inheritance.
* **Key Themes:** Joshua 23:15 powerfully reinforces several central themes running through the book of Joshua and indeed the entire Pentateuch. Firstly, it highlights **Divine Faithfulness and Justice**: God is absolutely true to His word, whether in blessing or in judgment. His character is consistent; just as He meticulously fulfilled His promises of land and victory, so too will He fulfill His warnings of judgment if His covenant is broken. This demonstrates God's unwavering integrity and commitment to justice. Secondly, the verse underscores the **Conditional Nature of the Covenant**: Israel's continued enjoyment of the Promised Land and its blessings was contingent upon their unwavering obedience to God's commands. Their possession was not an unconditional right but a stewardship, tied directly to their fidelity. This theme is prefigured in [Deuteronomy 28](/deuteronomy/28 "Blessings and Curses of the Covenant") and [Leviticus 26](/leviticus/26 "Covenant Blessings and Curses"). Finally, it emphasizes the **Gravity of Disobedience and Idolatry**: The "evil things" and ultimate destruction from the land refer to the severe calamities, plagues, defeat, and eventual exile that would befall Israel due to their persistent rebellion and turning to other gods. This was a historical reality later experienced by both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms, culminating in the Babylonian exile, as prophesied and later recorded in passages like [2 Kings 25:9-11](/2_kings/25-9 "Destruction of Jerusalem and Exile").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Good (Hebrew, _ṭôḇ_):** This word, often translated as "good," carries a broad semantic range, encompassing concepts of pleasantness, prosperity, well-being, blessing, and favor. In this context, it refers to the positive outcomes and provisions that God had promised and delivered to Israel—peace, security, fertility, and the fulfillment of their inheritance in the land. It stands in direct contrast to "evil" in the subsequent clause.
* **Evil (Hebrew, _raʿ_):** While "evil" can denote moral wickedness, in this specific context, _raʿ_ refers to calamity, disaster, misfortune, affliction, and the negative consequences that would befall Israel as a result of their disobedience. It does not imply moral evil on God's part but rather the just and inevitable outworking of covenant curses. This aligns with the ancient Near Eastern understanding of divine judgment as a natural consequence of breaking a sworn treaty.
* **Destroy (Hebrew, _šāmaḏ_):** This verb means to "destroy," "annihilate," "exterminate," or "cut off." When applied to Israel in this context, it signifies their removal from the land, often through military defeat, famine, plague, and ultimately, exile. It conveys the complete and utter termination of their presence in the Promised Land as a result of God's judgment, emphasizing the severity and finality of the threatened consequence.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you;":** This initial clause establishes a foundational premise: God's absolute faithfulness to His word. Joshua reminds the Israelites that they have personally witnessed the complete and meticulous fulfillment of every positive promise God made to their ancestors and to them. The "good things" refer to the successful conquest, the defeat of their enemies, the division of the land, and the peace and prosperity they now enjoyed, all precisely as Yahweh had sworn. This serves as an irrefutable testimony to God's power, integrity, and commitment to His covenant.
* **"so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land":** This is the core warning, drawing a direct parallel with the preceding clause. Just as certainly as God fulfilled His blessings, He will just as certainly bring about the "evil things"—the curses, calamities, and judgments—if Israel disobeys. The phrase "until he have destroyed you from off this good land" signifies the ultimate and most severe consequence: their expulsion from the land God had graciously given them. This destruction implies not only physical removal through war and exile but also the loss of their unique status as God's people dwelling in His promised inheritance, a profound theological and existential threat.
* **"which the LORD your God hath given you.":** This concluding phrase serves as a poignant reminder of divine grace and ownership. The land was not earned but "given" by Yahweh. This highlights the magnitude of their potential loss, as they would be forfeiting a divine gift due to their own unfaithfulness. It also underscores God's sovereign right to remove them from a land He bestowed, if they defiled it or broke His covenant.

#### Literary Devices
Joshua 23:15 employs several powerful **literary devices** to convey its urgent message. The most prominent is **Parallelism**, specifically an antithetical or contrasting parallelism. The verse sets up a direct comparison between "all good things" and "all evil things," emphasizing that God's faithfulness applies equally to both blessing and curse. The structure "as X, so Y" creates a sense of divine symmetry and unwavering consistency in God's character. This is further reinforced by **Repetition** of the phrase "the LORD your God promised you" (implied for both good and evil, though explicitly stated for good), and "the LORD your God hath given you," which highlights divine agency and ownership. The use of **Hyperbole** in "all good things" and "all evil things" underscores the comprehensive nature of God's fulfillment, whether in blessing or judgment. Finally, the verse functions as a **Prophecy** of future judgment, a conditional prophecy that would tragically find its fulfillment in the later history of Israel's exile. This prophetic warning serves as a powerful **Rhetorical Appeal** to motivate obedience through the vivid depiction of consequences.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Joshua 23:15 is a pivotal verse that encapsulates the core theological principle of covenant fidelity and its consequences, a theme deeply woven throughout the Old Testament. It reiterates that God's character is consistent and immutable; He is faithful to His word, whether that word brings blessing for obedience or judgment for rebellion. This highlights God's justice and His unwavering commitment to the terms of His covenant with Israel. The verse serves as a stark reminder that while God's grace initiated the covenant and provided the land, the continued enjoyment of its blessings was conditional upon Israel's faithfulness. This principle of divine recompense, where actions have consequences directly from God's hand, is not limited to the Old Covenant but reflects an eternal truth about God's moral governance of the world.

* [Leviticus 26:14-39](/leviticus/26-14 "Covenant Curses for Disobedience")
* [Deuteronomy 28:15-68](/deuteronomy/28-15 "Extensive Curses for Disobedience")
* [Jeremiah 11:8-10](/jeremiah/11-8 "Jeremiah's Warning of Covenant Breaking")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Joshua 23:15 stands as a timeless challenge to the human heart, reminding us that God is not to be trifled with. While the New Covenant establishes our salvation by grace through faith in Christ, freeing us from the curse of the Law, the underlying principle of God's unwavering faithfulness and the reality of consequences for our choices remains profoundly relevant. This verse calls us to a deep reverence for God, understanding that His character is utterly consistent—He is faithful to bless those who walk in His ways and faithful to bring about the natural and spiritual consequences for those who disregard His commands. It's not about earning salvation, but about living in a way that honors the God who has already saved us. Our obedience flows from love and gratitude, not fear of losing salvation, but a recognition that persistent disobedience can lead to a diminished experience of God's blessing, a loss of spiritual vitality, and even painful discipline in our lives. This verse encourages us to examine our own lives: Are we living in a manner that reflects our covenant relationship with God, or are we drifting towards spiritual apathy or compromise?

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Joshua's emphasis on God's faithfulness in both blessing and judgment shape your understanding of God's character?**
* **In what areas of your life might you be neglecting God's commands, and what potential "evil things" (negative consequences) might result from such disobedience?**
* **How does the New Covenant, though different from the Old, still affirm the principle that our choices have consequences, and how should this motivate your walk with Christ?**
* **What practical steps can you take to cultivate a deeper reverence for God and a more consistent obedience to His Word in your daily life?**

### FAQ

**Does God still bring "evil things" upon people today as a result of disobedience?**

Answer: While the specific covenant curses outlined for ancient Israel (like exile from the land) do not apply directly to New Covenant believers, the underlying principle of divine consequences for disobedience remains. God is immutable; His justice and faithfulness are unchanging. For believers, disobedience does not lead to a loss of salvation, which is secured by grace through faith in Christ. However, it can lead to divine discipline ([Hebrews 12:5-11](/hebrews/12-5 "God's Discipline of His Children")), a hindering of spiritual growth, a loss of fellowship with God, and natural consequences that arise from violating God's moral and spiritual laws. For unbelievers, persistent rebellion against God's truth ultimately leads to eternal separation from Him. So, while the form of "evil things" may differ, the reality that God responds to human choices with appropriate consequences—whether disciplinary, natural, or eternal—is a consistent biblical truth.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Joshua 23:15, with its stark warning of covenant consequences, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "good things" that came upon Israel foreshadow the ultimate spiritual blessings and the true "good land" of God's presence, which are fully realized in Christ. He is the one in whom all of God's promises are "Yes" and "Amen" ([2 Corinthians 1:20](/2_corinthians/1-20 "God's Promises are Yes in Christ")). More significantly, the "evil things" and the threat of destruction from the land point to the profound consequence of humanity's universal disobedience and rebellion against God—the curse of sin and eternal separation. Humanity, like Israel, failed to keep the covenant. However, Jesus, the perfect Israelite and the spotless Lamb of God, fully absorbed the "evil things" of God's righteous judgment against sin. He became the curse for us on the cross ([Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse")), bearing the full weight of divine wrath so that those who believe in Him might receive the "good things" of forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life. Through His atoning sacrifice, the ultimate "destruction from off this good land" (i.e., eternal separation from God's presence) is averted for all who trust in Him. Thus, Joshua's warning, while terrifying in its implications for Old Covenant Israel, ultimately magnifies the incredible grace of God found in Christ, who perfectly fulfilled the covenant's demands and suffered its curses on our behalf, offering us an unshakable inheritance in a better, heavenly land ([Hebrews 11:16](/hebrews/11-16 "Longing for a Better Country")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 28:15

¶ But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

Deuteronomy 28:68

And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy [you].

1 Thessalonians 2:16

Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

Luke 21:22

For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

Luke 21:24

And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Leviticus 26:14

¶ But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;

Leviticus 26:46

These [are] the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.