Joshua 24:24 Meaning: The Third Promise
The people said to Joshua, “We will serve Yahweh our God, and we will listen to his voice.”
And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
And the people said unto Joshua, Jehovah our God will we serve, and unto his voice will we hearken.
And the people say unto Joshua, `Jehovah our God we serve, and to His voice we hearken.'
And the people said unto Joshua, Jehovah our God will we serve, and to his voice will we hearken.
Meaning in one sentence
The people promise to serve Yahweh and listen to His voice. A vow made in weakness, met by God's covenant faithfulness.
Context
Joshua is old. He has gathered the tribes at Shechem for a final, solemn ceremony. He rehearses God's history with them: from Abraham to the Exodus, through the wilderness into the land of promise. Then he calls for a choice: serve the Lord or serve other gods. Three times the people reply that they will serve Yahweh. But Joshua pushes back hard: "You cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God" (v.19). The people answer again, and here in verse 24 they add something new: they will not only serve God but also listen to His voice. This third vow stands at the climax of a covenant renewal. Joshua writes it down and sets up a stone as a witness.
Key Words
The word the people use for "serve" is the Hebrew avad (עָבַד). It means to work, to labour, to serve as a subject serves a king. It is the same word used for the Israelite's forced labour in Egypt and for the priests' service in the tabernacle. Serving God is not a casual thing; it is giving Him your strength and your days.
But then they add a second word: shama (שָׁמַע), "we will listen" or "we will obey." In Hebrew, hearing and obeying are the same act. They commit to "his voice" (qolo), not just a list of rules. The voice of a person carries relationship. To listen to His voice is to stay turned toward Him, ready to respond. Together these two words say: our hands will work for Him, and our ears will stay open to Him. That is the full shape of covenant loyalty.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christian readers across traditions have recognised this verse as part of a covenant renewal. The people are not making a new promise; they are reaffirming the one at Sinai (Keil & Delitzsch). Some commentators note that the people's enthusiasm is sincere but shallow. Matthew Henry points out that Joshua had just warned them they could not serve God in their own strength, yet they still vow, a sign of eagerness mixed with self-deception. Others, like Gill, see their words as a proper confession of faith, echoed in the Targum as obedience to both the word of command and the essential Word, the Son of God. The repeated declaration shows that the community understood the gravity of the moment, even if they underestimated their own weakness.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is to hear this verse as a simple model for making promises to God: just say you will serve and obey, and it will happen. In fact, the people had already said the same thing twice (vv.16,21), and Joshua had soberly replied that their resolve would not hold because God is holy and jealous (v.19). The third vow is not the answer to Joshua's warning. It is the human cry of commitment made in full awareness of our frailty, a vow that can only be kept because God will keep the covenant on His side.
Living This Out
This week you may be tempted to think that your failures make your promises meaningless. You have said "I will follow" many times, and you have stumbled many times. Joshua 24:24 lets you say it again, not because you are stronger now, but because God is still the same. The call is to both serve and listen. Serving is what you do with your hours and your hands. Listening is what you do with your heart and your attention. Maybe this week you can start one day by saying to God: "I will serve You today with my work, and I will listen for Your voice in whatever comes." It is a simple prayer, yet it matches the shape of the covenant.
Main takeaway: Serving God and listening to His voice belong together; our promise to do both is made in our weakness, but kept by His grace.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God's people promised to follow Him and to listen to what He says. That is a good promise to make. You can make it too, every day.
For ages 9, 12
When Joshua asked the people to choose, they said yes three times. But Joshua warned them it would be hard, because God is holy and they were not perfect. Still they promised. Sometimes we promise God things and then mess up. That is why our promises depend on God's help, not just our own strength. We promise to serve Him and to listen, and He promises to stay with us.
Questions People Ask
Why did the people in Joshua 24:24 add "and listen to his voice" this third time?
Earlier they only said they would serve the Lord (vv.16,21). By adding that they would listen to His voice, they are promising not just outward actions but attentive obedience, a relationship where God speaks and they respond. This matches the covenant language of Exodus 19:8 and 24:7, where the people promised to do all that Yahweh said.
Did the people in Joshua 24:24 really mean what they said?
Scripture does not question their sincerity at the moment. But Joshua's warning in v.19 shows that human resolve alone is not enough. The Book of Judges, which follows Joshua, reveals that the people did not keep this promise. The verse stands as both a beautiful commitment and a sobering reminder that we need God's grace to stay faithful.
What is the connection between Joshua 24:24 and the covenant at Sinai?
Joshua 24 is widely seen as a covenant renewal ceremony. The people's response echoes what their parents said at Sinai in Exodus 19:8 and 24:3,7. Keil & Delitzsch call it a "solemn renewal of the covenant made at Sinai." By saying these words again, Israel reaffirms their relationship with God, making it personal for this new generation entering the land.
How does "listening to His voice" differ from simple obedience?
In Hebrew, the verb 'shama' (listen) often includes obeying, but it starts with active hearing. To listen to God's voice means to give Him your attention, to stay open to His guidance, not just to follow a list of rules. It implies a living relationship where God speaks uniquely to each situation.
What does this verse teach about human weakness and God's grace?
The verse shows God's people making a wholehearted promise even after being told they cannot keep it in their own strength (v.19). This sets up the need for divine help. Throughout the Old Testament, God's people fail, yet God remains faithful to His covenant. Christians have seen in this the pattern of grace: our vows are real, but their endurance depends on God's power, not ours.
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