New International Version So be very careful to love the LORD your God. New Living Translation So be very careful to love the LORD your God. English Standard Version Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God. Berean Standard Bible Therefore watch yourselves carefully, that you love the LORD your God. Berean Literal Bible And exceedingly take heed to yourselves that you love YHWH your⁺ God. King James Bible Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. New King James Version Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the LORD your God. New American Standard Bible So take great care for yourselves that you love the LORD your God. NASB 1995 “So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God. NASB 1977 “So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God. Legacy Standard Bible So keep your souls very carefully to love Yahweh your God. Amplified Bible So be very careful and watchful of yourselves to love the LORD your God. Berean Annotated Bible Therefore watch yourselves carefully, that you love the LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem}. Christian Standard Bible So diligently watch yourselves! Love the LORD your God! Holman Christian Standard Bible So be very diligent to love the LORD your God for your own well-being. American Standard Version Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love Jehovah your God. Contemporary English Version Be sure to always love the LORD your God. English Revised Version Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. GOD'S WORD® Translation Be very careful to love the LORD your God. Good News Translation Be careful, then, to love the LORD your God. International Standard Version "So be very diligent to love the LORD your God, NET Bible Watch yourselves carefully! Love the LORD your God! New Heart English Bible And be very watchful of yourselves to love the LORD your God. Webster's Bible Translation Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleTherefore watch yourselves carefully, that you love the LORD your God. World English Bible Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that you love Yahweh your God. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand you have been very watchful for yourselves to love your God YHWH. Berean Literal Bible And exceedingly take heed to yourselves that you love YHWH your⁺ God. Young's Literal Translation and ye have been very watchful for yourselves to love Jehovah your God. Smith's Literal Translation And watch greatly for your souls, to love Jehovah your God. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims Bible11This only take care of with all diligence, that you love the Lord your God. Catholic Public Domain Version Even so, be very diligent and careful in this: that you love the Lord your God. New American Bible As for you, take great care to love the LORD, your God. New Revised Standard Version Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleTake good heed therefore to yourselves, to revere the LORD your God. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Take good care in your souls to be in awe of LORD JEHOVAH your God! OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. Brenton Septuagint Translation And take ye great heed to love the Lord our God. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Joshua's Charge to Leaders…10One of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised. 11Therefore watch yourselves carefully, that you love the LORD your God. 12For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them,… Cross References Therefore watch yourselves carefully, Deuteronomy 4:9 Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren. 1 Timothy 4:16 Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you. Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life. that you love the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 6:5 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Matthew 22:37 Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, Mark 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ John 14:15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. Deuteronomy 11:1 You shall therefore love the LORD your God and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments. Romans 8:28 And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. 1 Corinthians 16:22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be under a curse. Come, O Lord! John 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. Deuteronomy 30:16 For I am commanding you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live and increase, and the LORD your God may bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. Psalm 31:23 Love the LORD, all His saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but fully repays the arrogant. 1 John 4:19 We love because He first loved us. Treasury of Scripture Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that you love the LORD your God. Take good Joshua 22:5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; Deuteronomy 6:5-12 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might… yourselves [heb] your souls Exodus 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 1 Corinthians 8:3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him. Jump to Previous Careful Diligent Heed Love Souls Watch Watchful YourselvesJump to Next Careful Diligent Heed Love Souls Watch Watchful YourselvesJoshua 23 1. Joshua's exhortation before his death3. by former benefits 5. by promises 11. and by threatenings Therefore watch yourselves carefully, Joshua urges Israel to remain vigilant as they enter and settle the land God promised them. The Lord had driven out stronger nations and fulfilled His word, but Israel’s future faithfulness required deliberate attention to their conduct and loyalties. Surrounded by peoples who worshiped other gods, they needed to guard against alliances and practices that would draw them away from the covenant. Deu 4:9 Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves… that you love the LORD your God. Israel’s security and blessing depended on wholehearted devotion to the Lord who had redeemed and preserved them. Love for God was shown through obedience to His commands and rejection of idolatry. Joshua’s charge recalls the covenant commitment Israel had accepted: the Lord alone was their God, and they were to serve Him without compromise. Deu 6:5 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart… Persons / Places / Events 1. JoshuaThe leader of Israel after Moses, who led the Israelites into the Promised Land. In this chapter, he is giving his farewell address to the leaders of Israel. 2. Israel The nation chosen by God, consisting of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are the recipients of Joshua's exhortation. 3. Promised Land The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham. Israel is now settled in this land, and Joshua is reminding them of their covenant obligations. 4. Covenant The agreement between God and Israel, where God promises to be their God and they promise to obey His commandments. 5. LORD (Yahweh) The personal name of God, emphasizing His covenant relationship with Israel. Teaching Points The Importance of Love for GodLoving God is not just an emotion but a commitment to prioritize Him above all else. It involves our entire being—heart, soul, and mind. Guarding Our Hearts The Hebrew root for "be very careful" (shamar) implies guarding or keeping watch. We must vigilantly protect our love for God from competing affections. Covenant Faithfulness Our love for God is demonstrated through faithfulness to His covenant. This includes obedience to His commandments and living according to His will. The Role of Community Joshua addresses the leaders of Israel, highlighting the communal aspect of faith. We are called to encourage one another in our love for God. Enduring Love Joshua's exhortation comes at the end of his life, reminding us that our love for God should endure throughout all seasons of life. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Joshua 23:11?2. How can we "diligently watch yourselves" in our daily Christian walk today? 3. What does loving the Lord your God look like in practical terms? 4. How does Joshua 23:11 connect with Jesus' commandment to love God in Matthew 22:37? 5. Why is it important to prioritize loving God in our spiritual lives? 6. What steps can you take to ensure you remain faithful to God's love? 7. How does Joshua 23:11 emphasize the importance of loving God in daily life? 8. What historical context surrounds Joshua 23:11 and its message to the Israelites? 9. How does Joshua 23:11 relate to the covenant between God and Israel? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Joshua 23? Verse 11. - Take good heed to yourselves. This is quoted from Deuteronomy 4:15, word for word. The Hebrew is, take heed exceedingly to your souls; but the meaning is either "as you value your lives" (Gesenius), or "with all your soul" (Keil). The former appears preferable. A third interpretation, however, "guard your souls diligently," is suggested by a comparison of Deuteronomy 4:9, 15. Joshua 23:11 ties Israel’s future faithfulness to three linked realities: God’s past grace (“Therefore”), continual self-watchfulness, and wholehearted love for the LORD. By remembering what God has done, guarding the heart daily, and directing all affection and allegiance to Him alone, believers walk securely in the covenant blessings promised from Abraham to today. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Therefore watchוְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם (wə·niš·mar·tem) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to yourselves לְנַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֑ם (lə·nap̄·šō·ṯê·ḵem) Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion carefully, מְאֹ֖ד (mə·’ōḏ) Adverb Strong's 3966: Vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily that you love לְאַהֲבָ֖ה (lə·’a·hă·ḇāh) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 157: To have affection f the LORD יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel your God. אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵem) Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative Additonal Resources Joshua 23:11 Blue Letter BibleJoshua 23:11 Bible Gateway Joshua 23:11 Bible.com Joshua 23:11 NIV |
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