יהושע, פרק כ״ד, פסוק כ״ב

The renewal of the covenant at Shechem marks a defining moment in history, as the Israelites take upon themselves the service of God out of complete and unforced free will. Seeking to cement this decision for all future generations, Joshua establishes the people themselves as the ultimate witnesses to their own commitment. There is no need for an outside party to observe or validate the agreement; the Israelites stand as their own witnesses that they have chosen God, and they openly accept this responsibility [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Adding a deeper layer to this concept of self-testimony, the internal witness can be understood as the combination of a person's body and soul. Because the soul originates from heaven and the body from the earth, they function together much like the historical calling upon the heavens and the earth to testify against the nation [רד״ק].

This declaration highlights a pure, intellectual choice to serve God simply for His sake, rather than out of a desire to gain a reward or avoid punishment. A person who obeys merely to receive a prize is ultimately serving their own needs, not God. By making this choice freely, the people declare a commitment that is entirely clean of personal interests [מלבי״ם].

Joshua's firm demand for the people to testify against themselves is driven by his ability to see into the future. He anticipated that during the era of the prophet Ezekiel, the Israelites would attempt to abandon the covenant, wishing instead to be like all the other nations. They might try to argue that the original agreement made in the days of Moses was merely a temporary, self-serving arrangement required only to enter the land of Israel, and therefore no longer binding once they arrived. To completely dismantle this future excuse, Joshua establishes the covenant with them once again while they are already settled securely within the land. This renewed acceptance ensures that the commitment remains valid and eternal, leaving no room to claim it was only a temporary condition for claiming their homeland [רש״י].