提要
約書亞臨終之前二篇告別演說的第一篇，是直接對所有以色列領袖說的。上帝特別施恩，使約書亞在應許之地活了很長的時間（可能有二十年），並享受上帝所賜的平靖。
他吩咐所有的領袖要忠於上帝，因為根據他們過去所經歷的，上帝對他們一直很信實。祂為以色列人爭戰，又賜給他們這塊土地，以色列人對上帝應永懷感恩之心。約書亞將一切的榮耀歸給上帝，自己一點也不爭功。
如同摩西一樣，約書亞也強烈的警告以色列人拜偶像的罪，以及將招致的懲罰。他警告以色列人，他們若與迦南地上的異族人攙雜（特別是在婚姻上，23：12），將帶來極大的傷害。這些迦南人的存在對以色列人的信心和順服是一大考驗，也提醒以色列人，他們要將這些迦南人逐出應許之地。如果以色列人忠於上帝，上帝一定會幫助他們完成這分工作；在此同時，以色列人還要愛上帝、遠離一切的罪污、壯膽、忠於上帝和祂的約──換句話說，「要遵行寫在摩西律法書上的一切話」（23：6）。
約書亞死後，這些領袖就要負起以色列人的屬靈責任，所以約書亞對他們說話時，情緒一定激動極了。那一代的領袖責任重大，但他們忠心的完成使命，因為在他們有生之年，他們都使以色列國事奉上帝（24：31）。
約書亞與以色列的領袖會面後（23章），接著又召聚全以色列會眾到他面前（24章）。這次的目的是要重新確認並更新上帝與以色列人的約。在此過程中，約書亞追溯以色列人從亞伯拉罕到今日得享應許之地的歷史，藉以提醒他們上帝的信實、美德、為以色列人所行的神蹟、保護、同在、和為他們所預備的土地。
約書亞用這些例子要以色列人瞭解，他們有責任事奉上帝，並且單要事奉祂，他這次演說的目標也是在警告以色列人勿拜偶像，這是以色列人一個最大的試探，不僅會導致個人的滅亡，也會危害整個國家。
約書亞給以色列百姓兩個截然不同的選擇：敬拜真神或者拜偶像。他率先聲明他和他一家要效忠以色列的上帝（24：15），百姓也給予相同的回應。他們效法約書亞的榜樣，三次熱誠的肯定他們要事奉以色列的上帝（24：17、21、24），即使約書亞也曾警告他們，那並不是件易事（24：19~20）。今天，上帝對祂兒女的信實也應在我們心中激起像以色列人那樣熱情的回應，使我們全心全意的事奉、順服上帝。
約書亞記的尾聲，提到約書亞和大祭司以利亞撒分別與世長辭。以色列人也將約瑟的骸骨葬在應許之地，實現了他們向約瑟所起的誓（創50：25）。他們三人被安葬在以色列人現在所定居的應許之地，進一步印證了全書的主題：上帝的信實。
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Overview
The first of Joshua’s two farewell speeches before his approaching death was directed to all the leaders of the congregation. God was gracious in allowing Joshua to life “a long time” (possibly as much as twenty years) within the Promised Land and enjoy the rest that only God could give.
He charged all the leaders to remain faithful to their God, since, as they had experienced, God had always been faithful to them. He fought and won their battles and gave them the land, something, for which they were to be always grateful to God. Joshua gave all the glory and honor to God, talking none for himself.
Joshua, like Moses, strongly warned Israel about the evil of idolatry and the divine punishment it would bring. He warned them about the great harm that would result if Israel mixed in any way with the heathen of the land (especially by intermarriage, 23:12). Their presence was a constant test of Israel’s faith and obedience to God and also a reminder that Israel was to drive them out to the Promised Land. If they remained faithful to God, He would see this finally accomplished; but in the meantime, Israel was to love God, remain pure and separated from all evil, have courage, and remain loyal to God and His covenant – in other words, “to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses” (23:6).
These leaders would be responsible for the spiritual condition of Israel after Joshua had died, so his words were probably spoken with great emotion. This generation of leaders had an awesome responsibility, but they faithfully fulfilled it, for while they lived, they kept the nation faithful to God (24:31).
Joshua’s call for the assembling of the whole nation (chapter 24) came as a direct result and follow-up to Joshua’s meeting with the leaders (chapter 23). The purpose was to reconfirm and renew the covenant of God with all Israel. In so doing, he reminded them of God’s faithfulness, goodness, signs and wonders, protection, and presence by tracing their history from the time of Abraham to the present when He graciously gave them a land prepared and ready to occupy and enjoy (24:13).
By all these examples, Joshua wanted to make Israel understand their duty to serve God and Him only. Joshua aimed his speech against idolatry, the major temptation facing Israel, which would not only lead to the destruction of individuals but the nation as well.
Joshua set before the people two radically different choices: worship of the true God or idolatry. He publicly declared his and his household’s allegiance to the God of Israel (24:15), probably to bring out a similar response from the people. They followed Joshua’s example and enthusiastically affirmed three times that the God of Israel was the God they would serve (24:17, 21, 24), even after Joshua warned them that this was not easy (24:19-20). God’s faithfulness to His children today should evoke within us a similar enthusiastic response like that of Israel’s, to serve and obey the Lord with our whole hearts.
The book of Joshua closes with the deaths of Joshua and Eleazar the high priest, as well as the burial of Joseph’s bones in the Promised Land, fulfilling the oath sworn to him on his deathbed (Gen.50:25). These three burials within the Promised Land, where Israel was now established, give further evidence to the theme of the whole book: the faithfulness of God.
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