Joshua 24:20 (GNV)

Passage

If yee forsake the Lord and serue strange gods, then he will returne and bring euill vpon you, and consume you, after that hee hath done you good.

Nearby Context

Joshua 24:18 And the Lord did cast out before vs all the people, euen the Amorites which dwelt in the lande: therefore will we also serue the Lord, for he is our God.

Joshua 24:19 And Ioshua saide vnto the people, Ye can not serue the Lord: for he is an holie God: he is a ielous God: hee will not pardon your iniquitie nor your sinnes.

Joshua 24:20 If yee forsake the Lord and serue strange gods, then he will returne and bring euill vpon you, and consume you, after that hee hath done you good.

Joshua 24:21 And the people saide vnto Ioshua, Nay, but we will serue the Lord.

Joshua 24:22 And Ioshua saide vnto the people, Yee are witnesses against your selues, that yee haue chosen you the Lord, to serue him: and they sayd, We are witnesses.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "forsake", "lord", "serue", "strange", "gods", "returne", "bring", and "euill". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "forsake" and "lord", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "And Ioshua saide vnto the people Ye..." into verse 21's "And the people saide vnto Ioshua Nay...", so "forsake" and "lord" belong inside that flow. In Joshua context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "forsake" and "lord" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.