SEV Biblia, Chapter 24:15
¶ Y si mal os parece servir al SEÑOR, escogeos hoy a quién sirváis; o a los dioses a quien sirvieron vuestros padres, cuando estuvieron al otro lado del río, o a los dioses de los amorreos, en cuya tierra habitáis; que yo y mi casa serviremos al SEÑOR.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 24:15
Verse 15. Choose you this day whom ye will serve] Joshua well knew that all service that was not free and voluntary could be only deceit and hypocrisy, and that God loveth a cheerful giver. He therefore calls upon the people to make their choice, for God himself would not force them-they must serve him with all their heart if they served him at all. As for himself and family, he shows them that their choice was already fixed, for they had taken JEHOVAH for their portion.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 15. And if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord , etc.] Irksome and troublesome, a burden, a weariness, and not a pleasure and delight: choose you this day whom you will serve ; say if you have found a better master, and whose service will be more pleasant and profitable: whether the gods your fathers served, that [were] on the other side of the flood ; the river Euphrates; these may bid rid rest for antiquity, but then they were such their fathers had relinquished, and for which undoubtedly they had good reason; and to take up with the worship of these again was to impeach their wisdom, judgment, and good sense: or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell : but then these were such as could not preserve their worshippers in the land, or the Israelites had not dwelt in it, and therefore no dependence could be had upon them for future security. The Amorites are only mentioned, because they were a principal nation, some of which dwelt on one side Jordan, and some on the other, and indeed there were of them in the several parts of the land: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord ; be your choice as it may be: this was the resolution of Joshua, and so far as he knew the sense of his family, or had influence over it, could and did speak for them; and which he observes as an example set for the Israelites to follow after; he full well knowing that the examples of great personages, such as governors, supreme and subordinate, have great influence over those that are under them, Ver. 16 . And the people answered and said , etc.] To Joshua, upon his proposal to them, the option he gave them to serve the Lord or idols, and which was only done to try them: God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods ; they speak with the utmost abhorrence of idolatry, as a thing far from their hearts and thoughts, as the most abominable and execrable that could be thought or spoken of; to forsake the word, and worship, and ordinances of God, and serve the idols of the Gentiles, strange gods, whether more ancient or more recent, such as their fathers worshipped in former times, or the inhabitants of the land they now dwelt in, for which they were spewed out of it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 15-28 - It is essential that the service of God's people be performed with willing mind. For LOVE is the only genuine principle whence all acceptable service of God can spring. The Father seeks only such to worship him, as worship him in spirit and in truth. The carnal mind of man is enmity against God, therefore, is not capable of such spiritual worship. Hence the necessity of being born again. But numbers rest in mere forms, as tasks imposed upon them. Joshua puts them to their choice; but not as if it were indifferent whether they served God of not. Choose you whom ye will serve, now the matter is laid plainl before you. He resolves to do this, whatever others did. Those that ar bound for heaven, must be willing to swim against the stream. They mus not do as the most do, but as the best do. And no one can behav himself as he ought in any station, who does not deeply consider his religious duties in family relations. The Israelites agree with Joshua being influenced by the example of a man who had been so great blessing to them; We also will serve the Lord. See how much good grea men do, by their influence, if zealous in religion. Joshua brings the to express full purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord. They must com off from all confidence in their own sufficiency, else their purpose would be in vain. The service of God being made their deliberat choice, Joshua binds them to it by a solemn covenant. He set up monument of it. In this affecting manner Joshua took his last leave of them; if they perished, their blood would be upon their own heads Though the house of God, the Lord's table, and even the walls and tree before which we have uttered our solemn purposes of serving him, woul bear witness against us if we deny him, yet we may trust in him, tha he will put his fear into our hearts, that we shall not depart from him. God alone can give grace, yet he blesses our endeavours to engag men to his service.
Original Hebrew
ואם 518 רע 7451 בעיניכם 5869 לעבד 5647 את 853 יהוה 3068 בחרו 977 לכם היום 3117 את 853 מי 4310 תעבדון 5647 אם 518 את 853 אלהים 430 אשׁר 834 עבדו 5647 אבותיכם 1 אשׁר 834 בעבר 5676 הנהר 5104 ואם 518 את 853 אלהי 430 האמרי 567 אשׁר 834 אתם 859 ישׁבים 3427 בארצם 776 ואנכי 595 וביתי 1004 נעבד 5647 את 853 יהוה׃ 3068
