Joshua 24:20

If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

If ye forsake {H5800} the LORD {H3068}, and serve {H5647} strange {H5236} gods {H430}, then he will turn {H7725} and do you hurt {H7489}, and consume {H3615} you, after {H310} that he hath done you good {H3190}.

If you abandon ADONAI and serve foreign gods, he will turn, doing you harm and destroying you after he has done you good."

If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, He will turn and bring disaster on you and consume you, even after He has been good to you.”

If ye forsake Jehovah, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

Commentary

Joshua 24:20 delivers a solemn warning from Joshua to the people of Israel during his farewell address. It underscores the severe consequences of abandoning their covenant relationship with the LORD for idolatry, highlighting God's righteous judgment after having shown them immense favor.

Context

This verse is part of Joshua's final charge to the tribes of Israel, delivered at Shechem shortly before his death. Having recounted God's faithfulness from Abraham to their settlement in the Promised Land, Joshua calls the people to renew their covenant with the LORD (see Joshua 24:15). The people confidently declare their intention to serve the LORD, but Joshua, knowing their propensity for unfaithfulness and the dangers of the surrounding Canaanite cultures, issues this stark warning. It serves as a reminder of the conditional nature of the Mosaic Covenant, where blessings were contingent upon obedience and curses followed disobedience.

Key Themes

  • Covenant Fidelity and Consequences: The verse emphasizes that the covenant between God and Israel was not one-sided. Israel's faithfulness was required, and a breach of that covenant, particularly through idolatry, would inevitably lead to divine judgment.
  • Divine Justice: God is not merely a benevolent provider but also a just judge. His "turning to do hurt" and "consume" them signifies that He is holy and will not tolerate the worship of false gods, especially from a people He has chosen and redeemed.
  • The Gravity of Ingratitude: The phrase "after that he hath done you good" highlights the profound ingratitude inherent in forsaking God after experiencing His mighty acts of deliverance, provision, and blessing. It underscores that God's judgment is often a response to persistent rebellion against His goodness.
  • The Exclusivity of Worship: The warning against serving "strange gods" reinforces the first commandment: Israel was to worship the LORD alone (Exodus 20:3). Idolatry was the ultimate betrayal of their relationship with Yahweh.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Forsake" (Hebrew: `azav`): This word means to abandon, desert, or leave behind. It implies a deliberate and active turning away from God, not merely passive neglect. It signifies a breaking of loyalty and commitment.
  • "Strange gods" (Hebrew: `elohim acherim`): Literally "other gods." These were the deities of the surrounding Canaanite nations, often associated with corrupt practices and human sacrifices. The term emphasizes that these were foreign, alien gods to the covenant people of Israel, distinct from the one true God who had revealed Himself to them.

Practical Application

While specific to ancient Israel, the principles in Joshua 24:20 remain profoundly relevant. For believers today, the warning serves as a reminder:

  • The Seriousness of Spiritual Idolatry: "Strange gods" in a modern context can represent anything that takes the place of God in our lives – wealth, power, comfort, career, relationships, or even personal ambition. When these things become our ultimate devotion, they become idols that draw us away from the LORD.
  • God's Holiness and Justice: God's character is unchanging. He is holy and righteous, and while He is merciful, He also disciplines those He loves when they stray from Him (Hebrews 12:6). His discipline is ultimately for our good, aiming to restore us to a right relationship with Him.
  • The Call to Wholehearted Commitment: This verse challenges us to examine our loyalties. Are we truly serving the LORD alone, or are there "other gods" competing for our affection and allegiance? Our blessings and spiritual well-being are deeply tied to our faithfulness to God.
  • Remembering God's Goodness: Just as God had done good to Israel, He continually blesses us. This verse calls us to remember His past faithfulness and to respond with gratitude and unwavering devotion, rather than turning away from Him.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Hebrews 10:26

    For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

  • Hebrews 10:27

    But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

  • Acts 7:42

    ¶ Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices [by the space of] forty years in the wilderness?

  • Ezekiel 18:24

    But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, [and] doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked [man] doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

  • Jeremiah 17:13

    O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, [and] they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

  • 1 Chronicles 28:9

    And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

  • Isaiah 65:11

    ¶ But ye [are] they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.
← Back