Joshua 23 · a question people ask
Why does Joshua warn against marriages with the nations that remain (23:12)?
The chapter ties the warning to those nations' gods. Just before it, Joshua says, "neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves to them" (23:7), and he ends with the danger that Israel will "go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them" (23:16). Moses had given the command and its reason: "You shall not make marriages with them" (Deuteronomy 7:3), "For that would turn away your sons from following me, that they may serve other gods" (Deuteronomy 7:4). In Hebrew make marriages is the same verb in Deuteronomy 7:3 and here. The warning is about "the remnant of these nations, even these who remain among you" (23:12). Kings later says of Solomon's wives that they came from "the nations concerning which the LORD said to the children of Israel, “You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon joined to these in love" (1 Kings 11:2), where joined is the verb of hold fast in 23:12.
The verses
“that you not come among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves to them;”
““But if you do at all go back, and hold fast to the remnant of these nations, even these who remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in to them, and they to you;”
“when you disobey the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them. Then the LORD’s anger will be kindled against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you.””
“You shall not make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to his son, nor shall you take his daughter for your son. For that would turn away your sons from following me, that they may serve other gods. So the LORD’s anger would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.”