Bible Commentaries
Joshua 24

Verses 1-33

Joshua 24:2 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.

Joshua 24:2 “Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time” Word Study on “of the flood” Strong says the Hebrew word “flood” ( נָהָר ) (H5104) means, “a stream, a river, a flood.” He says it is used figuratively to mean, “prosperity.” He believes the word includes the sea, especially the Nile, Euphrates, etc. The Enhanced Strong says this Hebrew word is used 120 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, “ river 98, flood 18, streams 2, Aramnaharaim + 0763 1, river side 1.” The term “flood” that is used in the story of Noah's flood is the Hebrew word ( מַבּוּל ) (H3999), used only 12 times in the Old Testament.

The ASV reads, “beyond the River.” The YLT reads, beyond the River.”

Comments - The phrase “on the other side of the flood in old time” most likely means that in the days of Abraham and Terah, his father, they dwelt on the other side of the Euphrates River. Note:

ASV, “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.”

NAB, “Joshua addressed all the people: “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: In times past your fathers, down to Terah, father of Abraham and Nahor, dwelt beyond the River and served other gods.”

NIV, “Joshua said to all the people, 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “ Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods.”'“

YLT, “And Joshua saith unto all the people, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Beyond the River have your fathers dwelt of old --Terah father of Abraham and father of Nachor--and they serve other gods;”

Joshua 24:2 “and they served other gods” - Comments - We read in The Book of Jubilees that Terah’s place of birth, Ur of the Chaldees, was a very wicked and idolatrous city.

“And ‘Ur, the son of Kesed, built the city of ‘Ara of the Chaldees, and called its name after his own name and the name of his father. And they made for themselves molten images, and they worshipped each the idol, the molten image which they had made for themselves, and they began to make graven images and unclean simulacra, and malignant spirits assisted and seduced (them) into committing transgression and uncleanness. And the prince Mastema exerted himself to do all this, and he sent forth other spirits, those which were put under his hand, to do all manner of wrong and sin, and all manner of transgression, to corrupt and destroy, and to shed blood upon the earth.” ( The Book of Jubilees 11.3-6) [29]

[29] The Book of Jubilees, trans. R. H. Charles, in The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English With Introductions and Critical and Explanatory Notes to the Several Books, vol 2, ed. R. H. Charles, 1-82 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913), 29.

Joshua 24:15 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.

Joshua 24:15 “but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” - Comments - We ourselves must decide to serve God despite what anyone else does to us or even others in the church, despite those who hurt the testimony of Jesus Christ and forsake God for this world.

Joshua 24:31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.

Joshua 24:31 Comments - Joshua 24:31 is found in Judges 2:7 as almost a word for word repeat.

Joshua 24:32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

Joshua 24:32 Comments - There are other Scriptures that refer to the bones of Joseph (Genesis 50:25, Exodus 13:19, Joshua 24:32, Hebrews 11:22).

Genesis 50:25, “And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.”

Exodus 13:19, “And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.”

Joshua 24:32, “And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.”

Hebrews 11:22, “By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.”