Joshua 24:2

Young's Literal Translation

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;

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods.

Hebrew Names Version
Yehoshua said to all the people, Thus says the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, Your fathers lived of old time beyond the River, even Terach, the father of Avraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel: ‘Long ago your ancestors—Terah the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor—lived beyond the river, and they served other gods.

English Standard Version
And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods.

New Century Version
Then Joshua said to all the people, "Here's what the Lord , the God of Israel, says to you: ‘A long time ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates River. Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, worshiped other gods.

New English Translation
Joshua told all the people, "Here is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘In the distant past your ancestors lived beyond the Euphrates River, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshiped other gods,

Amplified Bible
Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, lived beyond the [Euphrates] River in ancient times; and they served other gods.

New American Standard Bible
Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: 'From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Ioshua said vnto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt beyond the flood in olde time, euen Terah the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor, and serued other gods.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.

Contemporary English Version
Then Joshua told everyone to listen to this message from the Lord , the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates River, and they worshiped other gods. This continued until the time of your ancestor Terah and his two sons, Abraham and Nahor.

Complete Jewish Bible
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.

Darby Translation
And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt of old on the other side of the river, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Joshua spoke to all the people. He said, "I am telling you what the Lord , the God of Israel, says to you: ‘A long time ago, your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates River. I am talking about men like Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor. At that time they worshiped other gods.

George Lamsa Translation
And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river Euphrates in olden times, even Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nachor; and they served there other gods.

Good News Translation
Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, has to say: ‘Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. One of those ancestors was Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor.

Literal Translation
And Joshua said to all the people, So says Jehovah the God of Israel, Your fathers have in the past lived Beyond the River (Terah the father of Abraham and father of Nahor) and they served other gods.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
he sayde vnto all the people: Thus sayeth the LORDE the God of Israel: Yor fathers dwelt afore time beyode ye water, Abraha & Nahor wt Tarah their father & serued other goddes.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And Joshua said to all the people, These are the words of the Lord, the God of Israel: In the past your fathers, Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor, were living on the other side of the River: and they were worshipping other gods.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Iosuah sayde vnto al the people, Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the fludde in olde time, euen Thare the father of Abraham and of Nachor, and serued straunge goddes.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Joshua said unto all the people: 'Thus saith the LORD, 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.

King James Version (1611)
And Ioshua said vnto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, euen Terah the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they serued other gods.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers at first sojourned beyond the river, even Thara, the father of Abraam and the father of Nachor; and they served other gods.

English Revised Version
And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD, 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.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he spak thus to the puple, The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, Youre fadris dwelliden at the bigynnyng biyende the flood Eufrates, Thare, the fadir of Abraham, and Nachor, and thei serueden alien goddis.

Update Bible Version
And Joshua said to all the people, This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joshua said to 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 Nahor: and they served other gods.

World English Bible
Joshua said to all the people, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Your fathers lived of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods.

New King James Version
And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel: 'Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River Joshua 24:3, 14, 15">[fn] in old times; and they served other gods.

New Living Translation
Joshua said to the people, "This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River, and they worshiped other gods.

New Life Bible
Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your fathers lived on the other side of the River. There was Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor. And they worshiped other gods.

New Revised Standard
And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Joshua unto all the people - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Beyond the River, dwelt your fathers from age-past times, unto Terah, father of Abraham, and father of Nahor, - and they served other gods.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he spoke thus to the people: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt of old on the other side of the river, Thare the father of Abraham, and Nachor: and they served strange gods.

Revised Standard Version
And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Your fathers lived of old beyond the Euphra'tes, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.

Contextual Overview

¹ And Joshua gathereth all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and calleth for the elders of Israel, and for its heads, and for its judges, and for its authorities, and they station themselves before God. ² 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; <sup>3</sup> and I take your father Abraham from beyond the River, and cause him to go through all the land of Canaan, and multiply his seed, and give to him Isaac. <sup>4</sup> And I give to Isaac, Jacob and Esau; and I give to Esau mount Seir, to possess it; and Jacob and his sons have gone down to Egypt. <sup>5</sup> And I send Moses and Aaron, and plague Egypt, as I have done in its midst, and afterwards I have brought you out. <sup>6</sup> And I bring out your fathers from Egypt, and ye go into the sea, and the Egyptians pursue after your fathers, with chariot and with horsemen, to the Red Sea; <sup>7</sup> and they cry unto Jehovah, and He setteth thick darkness between you and the Egyptians, and bringeth on them the sea, and covereth them, and your eyes see that which I have done in Egypt; and ye dwell in a wilderness many days. <sup>8</sup> `And I bring you in unto the land of the Amorite who is dwelling beyond the Jordan, and they fight with you, and I give them into your hand, and ye possess their land, and I destroy them out of your presence. ⁹ `And Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, riseth and fighteth against Israel, and sendeth and calleth for Balaam son of Beor, to revile you, ¹⁰ and I have not been willing to hearken to Balaam, and he doth greatly bless you, and I deliver you out of his hand.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Your fathers: Genesis 11:26, Genesis 11:31, Genesis 12:1, Genesis 31:53, Deuteronomy 26:5, Isaiah 51:2, Ezekiel 16:3

served other gods: In the case of Abraham this was probably the case, till he was called to the knowledge of God, when above 70 years old. Joshua 24:15, Genesis 31:19, Genesis 31:30, Genesis 31:32, Genesis 31:53, Genesis 35:4

Reciprocal: Genesis 11:22 - Nahor Genesis 31:21 - passed Genesis 31:29 - the God Genesis 35:2 - strange Joshua 24:14 - put 1 Chronicles 1:27 - Abram Nehemiah 9:7 - choose Isaiah 29:22 - who redeemed Isaiah 41:9 - whom Ezekiel 16:4 - for Matthew 1:2 - Abraham Matthew 20:5 - and did Luke 3:34 - Thara Acts 7:2 - when Romans 4:2 - but Romans 4:5 - ungodly Galatians 4:8 - ye did

Cross-References

Genesis 15:2
And Abram saith, `Lord Jehovah, what dost Thou give to me, and I am going childless? and an acquired son in my house is Demmesek Eliezer.'

Genesis 24:4
but unto my land and unto my kindred dost thou go, and hast taken a wife for my son, for Isaac.'

Genesis 24:6
And Abraham saith unto him, `Take heed to thyself, lest thou cause my son to turn back thither;

Genesis 24:8
and if the woman be not willing to come after thee, then thou hast been acquitted from this mine oath: only my son thou dost not cause to turn back thither.'

Genesis 24:9
And the servant putteth his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and sweareth to him concerning this matter.

Genesis 24:10
And the servant taketh ten camels of the camels of his lord and goeth, also of all the goods of his lord in his hand, and he riseth, and goeth unto Aram-Naharaim, unto the city of Nahor;

Genesis 44:1
And he commandeth him who [is] over his house, saying, `Fill the bags of the men [with] food, as they are able to bear, and put the money of each in the mouth of his bag;

Genesis 47:29
And the days of Israel are near to die, and he calleth for his son, for Joseph, and saith to him, `If, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and thou hast done with me kindness and truth; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt,

1 Chronicles 29:24
and all the heads, and the mighty men, and also all the sons of king David have given a hand under Solomon the king;

1 Timothy 5:17
The well-leading elders of double honour let them be counted worthy, especially those labouring in word and teaching,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Joshua said unto all the people,.... Then present, or to all Israel by their representatives:

thus saith the Lord God of Israel; he spoke to them in the name of the Lord, as the prophet did, being himself a prophet, and at this time under a divine impulse, and spirit of prophecy. According to an Arabic writer w: the Angel of God appeared in the form of a man, and with a loud voice delivered the following, though they are expressed by him in a different manner; perhaps he mean, the Captain of the Lord's host,

Joshua 15:13; and which is not unlikely:

your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time; on the offer side the, river Euphrates; so the Targum,

"beyond Perat;''

i.e. Euphrates; in Mesopotamia and Chaldea; meaning not the remotest of their ancestors, Noah and Shem, but the more near, and who are expressly named:

[even] Terah the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor; the Israelites sprung from Terah, in the line of Abraham, on the father's side, and from him in the line of Nachor on the mother's side, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel, being of Nachor's family:

and they served other gods; besides the true God, strange gods, which were no gods: "idols"; the idols of the people, as the Targum; so did Terah, Abraham, and Nachor; Joshua 15:13- :;

Joshua 15:13- :;

Joshua 15:13- :.

w Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. p. 35.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The other side of the flood - Better “On the other side of the river,” i. e. the Euphrates. See the marginal reference.

They served other gods - Possibly the “images,” or teraphim, which we find their ancestor Laban calling “his gods” (see the marginal reference); and of which it would seem that there were, as Joshua spoke, some secret devotees among the people Joshua 24:14, Joshua 24:25. It is not stated that Abraham himself was an idolater, though his fathers were. Jewish tradition asserts that Abraham while in Ur of the Chaldees was persecuted for his abhorrence of idolatry, and hence, was called away by God from his native land. The reference in the text to the original state of those who were the forefathers of the nation, is made to show that they were no better than others: God chose them not for their excellences but of His own mere motion.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 24:2. On the other side of the flood — The river Euphrates.

They served other gods. — Probably Abraham as well as Terah his father was an idolater, till he received the call of God to leave that land. See on Genesis 11:31; Genesis 12:1. And for the rest of the history referred to here, see the notes on the parallel passages in the margin.