Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Forsaking God » Resolve against
Then the people answered and said, May it never happen that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods.
Strengthened with their brethren, their nobles, they came forward in an oath with a curse that they would walk in God's law, which was given by the hand of Moses, the slave of God, and observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes; and that we would not give our daughters unto the peoples of the land nor take their daughters for our sons. Likewise that if the peoples of the land bring merchandise or any food on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not take anything from them on the sabbath or on the holy day, and that we would leave the seventh year and remit every debt. read more.
Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God, for the showbread and for the continual present and for the continual burnt offering, and of the sabbaths and of the new moons, for the appointed feasts and for the holy things and for the atonement for sin to reconcile Israel and for all the work of the house of our God. And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, regarding the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law. And that each year we would bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, unto the house of the LORD. Likewise, the firstborn of our sons and of our beasts, as it is written in the law and that we would bring the firstlings of our cows and of our sheep to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God. And that we would also bring the firstfruits of our dough and of our offerings and the fruit of every tree, of the wine and of the oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God, and the tithe of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tenths of our labours in all the cities. And that the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes; and the Levites shall offer the tithe of the tithes in the house of our God, to the chambers, in the treasure house. For the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the offering of the grain, of the new wine and the oil, unto the chambers where are the vessels of the sanctuary and the priests that minister and the porters and the singers; and we will not forsake the house of our God.
Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God, for the showbread and for the continual present and for the continual burnt offering, and of the sabbaths and of the new moons, for the appointed feasts and for the holy things and for the atonement for sin to reconcile Israel and for all the work of the house of our God. And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, regarding the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law. And that each year we would bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, unto the house of the LORD. Likewise, the firstborn of our sons and of our beasts, as it is written in the law and that we would bring the firstlings of our cows and of our sheep to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God. And that we would also bring the firstfruits of our dough and of our offerings and the fruit of every tree, of the wine and of the oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God, and the tithe of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tenths of our labours in all the cities. And that the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes; and the Levites shall offer the tithe of the tithes in the house of our God, to the chambers, in the treasure house. For the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the offering of the grain, of the new wine and the oil, unto the chambers where are the vessels of the sanctuary and the priests that minister and the porters and the singers; and we will not forsake the house of our God.
Shechem » Also called sychar, a city of refuge in mount ephraim » Joshua assembled the tribes of israel at, with all their elders, chiefs, and judges, and presented them before the lord
And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel and for their princes and for their judges and for their officers, and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Long ago your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river, even Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nachor, and they served other gods. And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the river and led him throughout all the land of Canaan and multiplied his generation and gave him Isaac. read more.
And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau, and to Esau I gave Mount Seir to possess it; but Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them; and afterward I brought you out. And I brought your fathers out of Egypt; and when ye came to the sea, the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. 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. And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, who dwelt on the other side of the Jordan, and they fought with you, but I delivered them into your hands that ye might possess their land, and I destroyed them from before you. Then Balak, the son of Zippor, king of the Moabites, arose and warred against Israel and sent and called Balaam, the son of Beor, to curse you. But I would not hearken unto Balaam; to the contrary, he blessed you repeatedly, and I delivered you out of his hand. And ye passed the Jordan and came to Jericho; and the lords of Jericho fought against you: the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hands. And I sent hornets before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites, but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour and cities which ye did not build, and ye dwell in them and eat of vineyards and oliveyards which ye did not plant. Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in perfection and in truth and put away from among you the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the river and in Egypt, and serve ye the LORD. And if it seems 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 river or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Then the people answered and said, May it never happen that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods. For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt from the house of slavery and who did those great signs in our sight and has kept us in all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whom we passed. And the LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land; therefore, will we also serve the LORD, for he is our God. Then Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not allow your rebellions nor your sins. If ye forsake the LORD and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt and consume you, after he has done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, No, but we will serve the LORD. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye shall be witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We shall be witnesses. Now, therefore, take away, the strange gods which are among you and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel. And the people replied unto Joshua, We will serve the LORD our God and hear his voice. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and set them statutes and laws in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and taking a great stone, he set it up there under an oak that was in the sanctuary of the LORD. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which he spoke unto us: it shall be, therefore, a witness unto you lest ye deny your God. So Joshua sent the people, each one unto his inheritance.
And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau, and to Esau I gave Mount Seir to possess it; but Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them; and afterward I brought you out. And I brought your fathers out of Egypt; and when ye came to the sea, the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. 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. And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, who dwelt on the other side of the Jordan, and they fought with you, but I delivered them into your hands that ye might possess their land, and I destroyed them from before you. Then Balak, the son of Zippor, king of the Moabites, arose and warred against Israel and sent and called Balaam, the son of Beor, to curse you. But I would not hearken unto Balaam; to the contrary, he blessed you repeatedly, and I delivered you out of his hand. And ye passed the Jordan and came to Jericho; and the lords of Jericho fought against you: the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hands. And I sent hornets before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites, but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour and cities which ye did not build, and ye dwell in them and eat of vineyards and oliveyards which ye did not plant. Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in perfection and in truth and put away from among you the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the river and in Egypt, and serve ye the LORD. And if it seems 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 river or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Then the people answered and said, May it never happen that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods. For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt from the house of slavery and who did those great signs in our sight and has kept us in all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whom we passed. And the LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land; therefore, will we also serve the LORD, for he is our God. Then Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not allow your rebellions nor your sins. If ye forsake the LORD and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt and consume you, after he has done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, No, but we will serve the LORD. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye shall be witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We shall be witnesses. Now, therefore, take away, the strange gods which are among you and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel. And the people replied unto Joshua, We will serve the LORD our God and hear his voice. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and set them statutes and laws in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and taking a great stone, he set it up there under an oak that was in the sanctuary of the LORD. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which he spoke unto us: it shall be, therefore, a witness unto you lest ye deny your God. So Joshua sent the people, each one unto his inheritance.