Episode 407 Retelling the Story (Joshua 24:1-18)

This week BibleWorm reads the story of Israel’s covenant renewal ceremony in Joshua 24:1-18. We wrestle with this difficult text, which comes at the conclusion of the conquest of the land, after the Israelites have annihilated the Canaanites from their midst. On the one hand, we talk about the problematics of having a conquest narrative at the core of the biblical tradition, and we wrestle with what such a text can justify—and has justified—throughout history. On the other hand, we acknowledge that the core of this text is about God’s providence—giving land and security to a people who had themselves been abused, enslaved, and murdered at the hands of the Egyptians for more than 400 years. In the end, we reflect on the importance of remembering our stories and of retelling them, acknowledging the painful realities of the past while claiming the promises of God for a better future