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Joshua 24:2

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And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, [even] Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

And Joshua {H3091} said {H559} unto all the people {H5971}, Thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068} God {H430} of Israel {H3478}, Your fathers {H1} dwelt {H3427} on the other side {H5676} of the flood {H5104} in old time {H5769}, even Terah {H8646}, the father {H1} of Abraham {H85}, and the father {H1} of Nachor {H5152}: and they served {H5647} other {H312} gods {H430}.

Y'hoshua said to all the people, "This is what ADONAI the God of Isra'el says: 'In antiquity your ancestors lived on the other side of the [Euphrates] River-Terach the father of Avraham and Nachor-and they served other gods.

And Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your fathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates and worshiped other gods.

And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods.

Commentary

Joshua 24:2 opens Joshua’s significant farewell address to the assembled tribes of Israel at Shechem, a pivotal moment before his death. This verse begins a historical recounting designed to remind the people of God's faithfulness from their earliest origins.

Context

In this powerful address, Joshua gathers all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, a place of historical significance for the Israelites, where Abraham first built an altar to the LORD. Joshua is preparing the people for a renewal of the covenant with God, urging them to choose whom they will serve (Joshua 24:15). To underscore the magnitude of God’s grace and faithfulness, he begins by reminding them of their humble and even idolatrous beginnings, setting the stage for the dramatic choice presented later in the chapter.

Key Themes

  • God's Initiative and Grace: The verse highlights that God's relationship with Israel did not begin with their inherent righteousness, but with His sovereign choice. Even before Abraham, his family was steeped in paganism, yet God called him out.
  • The Idolatrous Past: Joshua explicitly states that their ancestors, including Terah (Abraham’s father), "served other gods." This stark reminder emphasizes the pervasive nature of idolatry in the ancient world and underscores the radical nature of God's call to Abraham to follow the one true God.
  • Historical Remembrance: The recounting of Israel's history serves as a powerful pedagogical tool, teaching the present generation about God's consistent intervention and deliverance, despite their ancestors' spiritual failings.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "the other side of the flood" (KJV) translates the Hebrew 'ever hannahar, which literally means "across the river." This refers to the Euphrates River, indicating the region of Mesopotamia, specifically Ur of the Chaldees, where Abraham's family originated. The declaration that "they served other gods" uses the Hebrew verb 'avad, meaning "to serve" or "to worship," clearly indicating their devotion to deities other than the LORD God of Israel.

Practical Application

Joshua 24:2 reminds us that God often calls people from diverse and even challenging backgrounds. Our spiritual heritage, whether rich or difficult, does not limit God’s ability to work in our lives. This verse encourages us to acknowledge God's grace in our own stories, recognizing that His faithfulness often begins when we are least deserving. It challenges us to reflect on what "gods" we might be serving today, implicitly or explicitly, and to make a conscious choice, as Joshua urged the Israelites, to serve the LORD only.

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 (May 20, 2025) 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

  • Genesis 31:30 (4 votes)

    And now, [though] thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, [yet] wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

  • Joshua 24:15 (4 votes)

    ¶ And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

  • Genesis 31:32 (3 votes)

    With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what [is] thine with me, and take [it] to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

  • Genesis 31:53 (3 votes)

    The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

  • Deuteronomy 26:5 (3 votes)

    And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish [was] my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:

  • Ezekiel 16:3 (3 votes)

    And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity [is] of the land of Canaan; thy father [was] an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.

  • Genesis 35:4 (3 votes)

    And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which [were] in their hand, and [all their] earrings which [were] in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which [was] by Shechem.