Joshua 24:2-13

Joshua 24:2-13

[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.  [3] And I took  your father  Abraham  from the other side  of the flood,  him throughout all the land  of Canaan,  and multiplied  his seed,  and gave  him Isaac.  [4] And I gave  unto Isaac  Jacob  and Esau:  and I gave  unto Esau  mount  Seir,  to possess  it; but Jacob  and his children  went down  into Egypt.  [5] I sent  Moses  also and Aaron,  and I plagued  Egypt,  according to that which  I did  among  them: and afterward  I brought you out.  [6] And I brought  your fathers  out of Egypt:  and ye came  unto the sea;  and the Egyptians  pursued  after  your fathers  with chariots  and horsemen  unto the Red  sea.  [7] And when they cried  unto the LORD,  he put  darkness  between you and the Egyptians,  and brought  the sea  upon them, and covered  them; and your eyes  have seen  what I have done  in Egypt:  and ye dwelt  in the wilderness  a long  season.  [8] And I brought  you into the land  of the Amorites,  which dwelt  on the other side  Jordan;  and they fought  with you: and I gave  them into your hand,  that ye might possess  their land;  and I destroyed  them from before  [9] Then Balak  the son  of Zippor,  king  of Moab,  arose  and warred  against Israel,  and sent  and called  Balaam  the son  of Beor  to curse  [10] But I would  not hearken  unto Balaam;  therefore he blessed  so I delivered  you out of his hand.  [11] And ye went over  Jordan,  and came  unto Jericho:  and the men  of Jericho  fought  against you, the Amorites,  and the Perizzites,  and the Canaanites,  and the Hittites,  and the Girgashites,  the Hivites,  and the Jebusites;  and I delivered  them into your hand.  [12] And I sent  the hornet  before  you, which drave them out  from before  you, even the two  kings  of the Amorites;  but not with thy sword,  nor with thy bow.  [13] And I have given  you a land  for which ye did not labour,  and cities  which ye built  not, and ye dwell  in them; of the vineyards  and oliveyards  which ye planted  not do ye eat. 

What does Joshua 24:2-13 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Joshua introduced what follows as the words of Yahweh, Israel"s God ( Joshua 24:2). Then he reviewed God"s great acts on behalf of His people, going back to the call of Abraham in Mesopotamia.
The "River" ( Joshua 24:2) is the Euphrates. Abraham"s family members were idolaters in Mesopotamia, and we may safely assume that Abraham was too. God"s call of Abraham was pure grace; there was nothing in Abraham that resulted in God choosing him for special blessing. Joshua probably mentioned Nahor because Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel descended from him. Two of the nations that had come from Abraham were Israel and Edom ( Joshua 24:4).
The Exodus was a second great proof of God"s grace to Israel ( Joshua 24:5-7). The provision of Moses and Aaron, as well as the sending of the plagues, were special gifts then. Israel"s deliverance from Egypt and her preservation in the wilderness were also highlights of God"s faithfulness during this period of Israel"s history.
God"s third great act for Israel was the Israelites" victory over the Amorites east of the Jordan ( Joshua 24:8-10). God also frustrated Moab"s hostility by turning Balaam"s oracles into blessings.
The fourth divine provision was the crossing of the Jordan River and the consequent victory over the Canaanites ( Joshua 24:11-13). God routed Israel"s enemies for her by using various hornet-like terrors ( Joshua 24:12; cf. Exodus 23:28; Deuteronomy 7:20).
In this section of verses ( Joshua 24:2-13), God said17 times "I" did such and such for you. The emphasis is clearly on God"s great acts for Israel.