Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Read the Bible

American Standard Version

Joshua 24:21

And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve Jehovah.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Backsliders;   Covenant;   Decision;   Shechem;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Pillars;   Shechem (1);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Covenant;   Ebal;   Joshua;   Joshua, the Book of;   Temple of Jerusalem;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Shechem;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Elder;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Conquest of Canaan;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Shechem;   Teraphim;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“No!” the people answered Joshua. “We will worship the Lord.”
Hebrew Names Version
The people said to Yehoshua, No; but we will serve the LORD.
King James Version
And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord .
Lexham English Bible
And the people said to Joshua, "No, we will serve Yahweh."
English Standard Version
And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the Lord ."
New Century Version
But the people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the Lord ."
New English Translation
The people said to Joshua, "No! We really will worship the Lord !"
Amplified Bible
The people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve [only] the LORD."
New American Standard Bible
And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the LORD."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the people saide vnto Ioshua, Nay, but we will serue the Lord.
Legacy Standard Bible
And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve Yahweh."
Contemporary English Version
But the people shouted, "We won't worship any other gods. We will worship and obey only the Lord !"
Complete Jewish Bible
But the people said to Y'hoshua, "No, but we will serve Adonai ."
Darby Translation
And the people said to Joshua, No; but we will serve Jehovah.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the people said to Joshua, "No, we will serve the Lord !"
George Lamsa Translation
And the people said to Joshua, Nay, we will not serve any other, but we will serve the LORD God.
Good News Translation
The people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the Lord ."
Literal Translation
And the people said to Joshua, No, but we will serve Jehovah.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The people sayde vnto Iosua: Not so, but we will serue the LORDE.
Bible in Basic English
And the people said to Joshua, No! But we will be the servants of the Lord.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the people sayde vnto Iosuah: Nay, but we will serue the Lorde.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the people said unto Joshua: 'Nay; but we will serve the LORD.'
King James Version (1611)
And the people said vnto Ioshua, Nay, but we will serue the Lord.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the people said to Joshua, Nay, but we will serve the Lord.
English Revised Version
And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
"No!" replied the people. "We will serve the LORD!"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the puple seide to Josue, It schal not be so, as thou spekist, but we schulen serue the Lord.
Young's Literal Translation
And the people saith unto Joshua, `No, but Jehovah we do serve.'
Update Bible Version
And the people said to Joshua, No; but we will serve Yahweh.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the people said to Joshua, No; but we will serve the LORD.
World English Bible
The people said to Joshua, No; but we will serve Yahweh.
New King James Version
And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the LORD!"
New Living Translation
But the people answered Joshua, "No, we will serve the Lord !"
New Life Bible
The people said to Joshua, "Not so, for we will serve the Lord."
New Revised Standard
And the people said to Joshua, "No, we will serve the Lord !"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But the people said unto Joshua, - Nay! but, Yahweh, will we serve.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the people said to Josue: No, it shall not be so as thou sayest, but we will serve the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
And the people said to Joshua, "Nay; but we will serve the LORD."
THE MESSAGE
But the people told Joshua: "No! No! We worship God !"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the LORD."

Contextual Overview

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah. 16 And the people answered and said, Far be it from us that we should forsake Jehovah, to serve other gods; 17 for Jehovah our God, he it is that brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and that did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the peoples through the midst of whom we passed; 18 and Jehovah drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites that dwelt in the land: therefore we also will serve Jehovah; for he is our God. 19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve Jehovah; for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgression nor your sins. 20 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. 21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve Jehovah. 22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you Jehovah, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. 23 Now therefore put away, said he, the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto Jehovah, the God of Israel. 24 And the people said unto Joshua, Jehovah our God will we serve, and unto his voice will we hearken.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Nay: Exodus 19:8, Exodus 20:19, Exodus 24:3, Exodus 24:7, Deuteronomy 5:27, Deuteronomy 5:28, Deuteronomy 26:17, Isaiah 44:5

Reciprocal: Exodus 15:25 - a statute Exodus 23:25 - And ye Judges 2:20 - transgressed 2 Chronicles 23:16 - that they should Psalms 119:57 - I have

Cross-References

Genesis 24:1
And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and Jehovah had blessed Abraham in all things.
Genesis 24:6
And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.
Genesis 24:7
Jehovah, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house, and from the land of my nativity, and who spake unto me, and who sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he will send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife for my son from thence.
Genesis 24:12
And he said, O Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, send me, I pray thee, good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham.
Genesis 24:18
And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
Genesis 24:20
And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
Genesis 24:56
And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing Jehovah hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
Psalms 107:1
Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever.
Psalms 107:8
Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalms 107:15
Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the people said unto Joshua, nay,.... We will not serve strange gods:

but we will serve the Lord; according to his revealed will, and him only.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 24:21. And the people said - Nay; but we will serve, &c. — So they understood the words of Joshua to imply no moral impossibility on their side: and had they earnestly sought the gracious assistance of God, they would have continued steady in his covenant.


 
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