And it came to pass, after these things ,.... Some little time after, very probably the same year: that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old ; he wanted ten years of Moses his predecessor, Deuteronomy 34:7 , and just the age of Joseph, Genesis 50:22 , from whom he sprung, being of the tribe of Ephraim, Numbers 13:8 . read more
And they buried him in the border of his inheritance ,.... In a field belonging to his estate; for they buried not in towns and cities in those times. The Greek version adds,"and they put into the tomb, in which he was buried, the stone knives with which he circumcised the children of Israel at Gilgal, when he brought them out of Egypt;'and an Arabic writer F5 Patricides, p. 31. apud Hottinger. Smegma, p. 523. affirms the same, but without any foundation: in Timnathserah, which is ... read more
And the children of Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua ,.... Without going into idolatrous practices: and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua ; that lived a few years longer than he; some of them that came young out of Egypt, and were now elderly men; and some of them doubtless were of the court of the seventy elders; these could not overlive Joshua a great many years, for, in the times of Chushanrishathaim, Israel fell into idolatry, Judges 2:6 , and which... read more
And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt ,.... At the request, and by the order of Joseph, Genesis 50:25 ; which were punctually observed by the children of Israel under the direction and command of Moses, and therefore is ascribed to him, as here to them, Exodus 13:19 , buried they in Shechem ; not in the city, but in a field near it, as the next clause shows. The Jews in their Cippi Hebraici say F7 Ut supra. (Cippi Heb. p. 32.) , that... read more
Joshua the son of Nun - died - This event probably took place shortly after this public assembly; for he was old and stricken in years when he held the assembly mentioned Joshua 23:2 ; and as his work was now all done, and his soul ripened for a state of blessedness, God took him to himself, being one hundred and ten years of age; exactly the same age as that of the patriarch Joseph. See Genesis 50:26 . read more
And they buried him - in Timnath-serah - This was his own inheritance, as we have seen Joshua 19:50 . The Septuagint add here, "And they put with him there, in the tomb in which they buried him, the knives of stone with which he circumcised the children of Israel in Gilgal, according as the Lord commanded when he brought them out of Egypt; and there they are till this day." St. Augustine quotes the same passage in his thirtieth question on the book of Joshua, which, in all... read more
And Israel served the Lord , etc. - Though there was private idolatry among them, for they had strange gods, yet there was no public idolatry all the days of Joshua and of the elders that overlived Joshua; most of whom must have been advanced in years at the death of this great man. Hence Calmet supposes that the whole of this time might amount to about fifteen years. It has already been noted that this verse is placed by the Septuagint after Joshua 24:28 . read more
And the bones of Joseph - See the note on Genesis 50:25 , and on Exodus 13:19 . This burying of the bones of Joseph probably took place when the conquest of the land was completed, and each tribe had received its inheritance; for it is not likely that this was deferred till after the death of Joshua. read more
Verse 29 29.And it came to pass after these things, etc The honor of sepulture was a mark of reverence, which of itself bore testimony to the affectionate regard of the people. But neither this reverence nor affection was deeply rooted. The title by which Joshua is distinguished after his death, when he is called the servant of the Lord, took away all excuse from those miserable and abandoned men who shortly after spurned the Lord, who had worked wonders among them. Accordingly, attention is... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 24:29-33
This book, which began with triumphs, here ends with funerals, by which all the glory of man is stained. We have here 1. The burial of Joseph, Josh. 24:32. He died about 200 years before in Egypt, but gave commandment concerning his bones, that they should not rest in their grave until Israel had rest in the land of promise; now therefore the children of Israel, who had brought this coffin full of bones with them out of Egypt, carried it along with them in all their marches through the... read more