Joshua 24:15-28
choose <0977> [choose.]
gods ........... gods <0430> [whether the gods.]
gods ........... gods <0430> [or the gods.]
family <01004> [as for me.]
worship <05647> [will we also.]
<03201> [Ye cannot.]
holy <06918> [holy.]
jealous <07072> [a jealous.]
forgive <05375> [he will not.]
turn <07725> [he will turn.]
worship <05647> [Nay.]
witnesses ................ witnesses <05707> [Ye are witnesses.]
Ye have been sufficiently apprised of the difficulties in your way--of God's holiness, and the nature of his service--your own weakness, inconstancy, and insufficiency--your need of the Divine help, and the hope of assistance held out in the law--and the awful consequences of apostasy: and now ye make your choice. Remember then that ye are witnesses against yourselves; and your own conscience will be witness, judge, and executioner.
chosen <0977> [ye have.]
aside <05493> [put away.]
submit <05186> [incline.]
<03772> [made.]
Shechem <07927> [in Shechem.]
Joshua <03091> [Joshua.]
took <03947> [took.]
set <06965> [set it.]
oak <0427> [under.]
A curious coincidence of circumstances is related by Livy, the Roman historian: he writes that "when three ambassadors were sent from Rome to complain of the perfidious conduct of the ’qui, the General informed them, that they might deliver their message to an oak which shaded his tent." On this one of the ambassadors turning away, said, "This venerable oak, and all the gods, shall know that you have violated the peace; they shall now hear our complaints; and may they also soon be witnesses, when we revenge with our arms the violation of divine and human rights." It is worthy of remark that Joshua merely set up a pillar under an oak,--the one, perhaps, to protect the other; while the General directed the ambassadors to address the oak, perhaps with an idolatrous feeling that they were addressing one of the gods, who would aid his cause; while the Roman ambassadors caught the feeling, and really invoked the aid of the oak and the gods.
heard <08085> [it hath.]
deny <03584> [deny.]
