And the people answered and said, "God forbid that we should forsake the LORD and serve strange gods. Verse ConceptsForsaking GodZeal, ReligiousNot Forsaking GodDifferent Gods

and their lords that had rule of them, received it for their brethren. And they came to sware, and to bind themselves with an oath to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, that they would observe and do according unto all the commandments, judgments, and statutes of the LORD our God: and that we would not give our daughters unto the people in the land, neither to take their daughters for our sons. And if the people of the land brought wares on the Sabbath, and all manner of victuals to sell, that we would not take it of them on the Sabbath and on the holy days. And that we would let the seventh year be free concerning all manner of charge. read more.
And we decreed a statute upon ourselves, to give yearly the third part of a sicle to the ministration in the house of our God, namely to the shewbread, to the daily meat offering, to the daily burnt offering of the Sabbaths, of the new moons and feast days, and to the things that were sanctified, and to the sin offerings, to reconcile Israel withal, and to all the business in the house of our God. And we cast the lot among the priests, Levites and the people, for offering of the wood to be brought unto the house of our God from year to year, after the houses of our fathers that it might be burnt at times appointed, upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law: and yearly to bring the firstlings of our land, and the firstlings of our fruits of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD: and the firstlings of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law: and the firstlings of our oxen and of our sheep, that we should bring all this to the house of our God unto the priests that minister in the house of our God: and that we should bring the firstlings of our dough, and our heave offerings, and the fruits of all manner of trees, of wine also and of oil, unto the priests to the chests the house of our God. And the tithes of our land unto the Levites, that the Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our ministration. And the priest, the son of Aaron, shall with the Levites have also of the tithes of the Levites, so that the Levites shall bring up the tithes of their tithes unto the house of our God to the chest in the treasure house. For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring up the heave offerings of the corn, wine, and oil unto the chests. And there shall be the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and singers, that we forsake not the house of our God.

And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for elders of Israel, and for their heads, judges and officers which presented themselves before God. And Joshua said unto all the people, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, 'Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the water in old time even Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, and served strange gods. But I took your father Abraham from the other side of the water, and brought him into the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. read more.
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. Then I sent Moses and Aaron. And I plagued Egypt, after the manner as I did among them, and after that I brought you out, and I brought your fathers out of Egypt. And ye came unto the sea: and the Egyptians followed after your fathers with chariots and horsemen, unto the reed sea. And they cried unto the LORD. And 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 which dwelt on the other side Jordan. And they fought with you: and I gave them into your hands. And ye conquered their country. And I destroyed them in your sight. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor for to curse you. But I would not agree to hearken unto Balaam, and therefore he blessed you: And so I delivered you out of his hand. And when ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho, the citizens of Jericho fought against you: the Amorites, Perezites, Cananites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, Jebusites which I delivered into your hands. And I sent hornets before you and ye cast out before you: even the two kings of the Amorites: but not with your own sword or with your own bow. And I gave you a land in which ye did not labor, and cities which you built not, and ye dwelt in them. And vines, and olive trees which ye planted not, and ye ate of them. And now, fear the LORD and serve him in pureness and truth: And put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the water, and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, then choose you this day, whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served, that were on the other side of the water, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land, ye dwelt. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." And the people answered and said, "God forbid that we should forsake the LORD and serve strange gods. For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage, and which did those miracles in our sight, and preserved us in all the way we went and among all the nations which we came through. And the LORD did cast out before us all the nations with the Amorites which dwelt in the land, wherefore we will serve the LORD - for he is our God." But Joshua said unto the people, "Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is a holy God and cannot bear your transgression and sin. But when ye have forsaken the LORD and have served strange gods, he will turn and do you evil and consume you, after that he hath done you good." And the people answered Joshua, "Nay, but we will serve the LORD." Then Joshua said unto the folk, "Ye are witnesses unto yourselves, that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses." "Then put away," said he, "the strange gods which are among you, and bow your hearts unto the LORD God of Israel." And the people answered Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve and his voice we will obey." And so Joshua made a covenant with the people the same day and set ordinances and laws before them in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone and pitched it on end in the said place, even under an oak that stood in the sanctuary of the LORD. And Joshua said unto all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake with us. It shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye lie unto your God." And so Joshua let the people depart every man unto his inheritance.