Joshua's Farewell and Covenant Renewal at Shechem

The event

As Joshua neared the end of his life, he called Israel's leaders together, first to warn them plainly against compromising with the remaining Canaanite peoples and their gods, and then to gather the whole nation at Shechem for a solemn covenant renewal — the same place where, years earlier, Israel had stood between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal to hear the blessings and curses of the Law read aloud (Joshua 8:30-35).

At Shechem, Joshua recounted the entire sweep of God's dealings with Israel, from Abraham's call out of a land of idols, through the Exodus and wilderness, to the conquest they had just witnessed with their own eyes. He then issued one of the most quoted challenges in the Old Testament: "choose this day whom you will serve... but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15). The people responded by renewing their covenant commitment, and Joshua set up a large stone under an oak near the sanctuary as a silent witness against them should they ever go back on their word.

This moment stands as a hinge in Israel's story. Joshua had led a generation that saw God act decisively and visibly; the question left hanging in the air at Shechem was whether the next generation, without that same firsthand experience, would keep the same commitment — a question the book of Judges answers almost immediately, and not well.

Dating

Scripture does not give a fixed year for this event beyond noting it occurred near the end of Joshua's long life; the date given here is an approximation drawn from standard conservative harmonizations of the conquest chronology.

Scripture references

• Joshua 23:1-24:28