# Joshua 24.26 **Book:** [Joshua](/codex/joshua/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 24. And the people said unto Joshua, Jehovah our God will we serve, and unto his voice will we hearken. 25. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. > > **26. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of Jehovah.** > > 27. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it hath heard all the words of Jehovah which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness against you, lest ye deny your God. 28. So Joshua sent the people away, every man unto his inheritance. (Joshua 24:24-28, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 24. The people said to Joshua, “We will serve Yahweh our God, and we will listen to his voice.” 25. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. > > **26. Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of Yahweh.** > > 27. Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all Yahweh’s words which he spoke to us. It shall be therefore a witness against you, lest you deny your God.” 28. So Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance. (Joshua 24:24-28, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 24. And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. 25. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. > > **26. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.** > > 27. 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 unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. 28. So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance. (Joshua 24:24-28, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 24. And the people say unto Joshua, 'Jehovah our God we serve, and to His voice we hearken.' 25. And Joshua maketh a covenant with the people on that day, and layeth on it a statute and an ordinance, in Shechem. > > **26. And Joshua writeth these words in the Book of the Law of God, and taketh a great stone, and raiseth it up there under the oak which [is] in the sanctuary of Jehovah.** > > 27. And Joshua saith unto all the people, 'Lo, this stone is against us for a witness, for it hath heard all the sayings of Jehovah which He hath spoken with us, and it hath been against you for a witness, lest ye lie against your God.' 28. And Joshua sendeth the people away, each to his inheritance. (Joshua 24:24-28, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** narrator (traditionally Joshua + later editor) - **Audience:** settled Israelite community - **Location:** Canaan (conquest and settlement) - **Time period:** events c. 1406-1390 BC; composed c. 1380-1050 BC ## Theological reading ## Key words - [H0430 - elohim](/codex/h0430-elohim/), *elohim* (Strong's H430). Also appears in: [Genesis 1.1](/codex/genesis-1-1/), [Genesis 1.2](/codex/genesis-1-2/), [Genesis 1.14-19](/codex/genesis-1-14-19/). - [H1697 - dabar](/codex/h1697-dabar/), *dabar* (Strong's H1697). Also appears in: [Genesis 11](/codex/genesis-11/), [Genesis 12](/codex/genesis-12/), [Genesis 15.1](/codex/genesis-15-1/). - [H3068 - YHWH](/codex/h3068-yhwh/), *YHWH* (Strong's H3068). Also appears in: [Genesis 2.4](/codex/genesis-2-4/), [Genesis 2.7](/codex/genesis-2-7/), [Genesis 2.16-17](/codex/genesis-2-16-17/). - [H8451 - torah](/codex/h8451-torah/), *torah* (Strong's H8451). Also appears in: [Numbers 5.11-31](/codex/numbers-5-11-31/), [Numbers 5.30](/codex/numbers-5-30/), [Numbers 15.15-17](/codex/numbers-15-15-17/). ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses. ## Quoted in **Concepts:** - [OT Authorship and Prophetic Tradition](/codex/ot-authorship-and-prophetic-tradition/)