Joshua 24:23 (GNV)

Passage

Then put away nowe, saide he, the strange gods which are among you, and bowe your hearts vnto the Lord God of Israel.

Nearby Context

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.

Joshua 24:23 Then put away nowe, saide he, the strange gods which are among you, and bowe your hearts vnto the Lord God of Israel.

Joshua 24:24 And ye people saide vnto Ioshua, The Lord our God wil we serue, and his voyce wil we obey.

Joshua 24:25 So Ioshua made a couenant with the people the same day, and gaue them an ordinance and lawe in Shechem.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "away", "nowe", "saide", "strange", "gods", "bowe", "hearts", and "vnto". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "away" and "nowe", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "And Ioshua saide vnto the people Yee..." into verse 24's "And ye people saide vnto Ioshua The...", so "away" and "nowe" 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 "away" and "nowe" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.