Judges 2:6-10 · Bible study
Judges 2:6-10 Commentary: Passing the Faith to a New Generation
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
See how Judges 2:6, 10 repeats Joshua 24 to show the transition from faithful conquest to a generation that did not know the Lord, key for understanding the cycle
Research Summary
- Meaning: The death of Joshua and the eyewitness generation leads to a new generation that lacks firsthand knowledge of God, setting the stage for the cycle of apostasy in Judges.
- Key words: Yada (know, experiential), dor (generation), ‘avad (serve/worship), ma‘aseh (work/deed).
- Main debate: The purpose of repeating Joshua 24:28, 31, most agree it is a literary bridge; no significant disagreement.
- Theological theme: Faith and faithfulness depend on personal, communal memory of God’s acts; each generation must encounter God for itself.
- Best use: A sermon or Bible study on legacy, generational discipleship, and the danger of spiritual amnesia.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
6After Joshua had dismissed the people, the Israelites went out to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance.
7And the people served the LORD throughout the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him, who had seen all the great works that the LORD had done for Israel.
8And Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110.
9They buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath-heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
10After that whole generation had also been gathered to their fathers, another generation rose up who did not know the LORD or the works that He had done for Israel.
WEB World English Bible 2000
6Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel each went to his inheritance to possess the land.
7The people served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Yahweh that he had worked for Israel.
8Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being one hundred ten years old.
9They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.
10After all that generation were gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who didn’t know Yahweh, nor the work which he had done for Israel.
KJV King James Version 1769
6And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.
7And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel.
8And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
9And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath–heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
10And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
6Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.
7And the people served Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Jehovah that he had wrought for Israel.
8And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Jehovah, died, being a hundred and ten years old.
9And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill-country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.
10And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, that knew not Jehovah, nor yet the work which he had wrought for Israel.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
6And Joshua sendeth the people away, and the sons of Israel go, each to his inheritance, to possess the land;
7and the people serve Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who prolonged days after Joshua, who saw all the great work of Jehovah which He did to Israel.
8And Joshua son of Nun, servant of Jehovah, dieth, a son of a hundred and ten years,
9and they bury him in the border of his inheritance, in Timnath-Heres, in the hill-country of Ephraim, on the north of mount Gaash;
10and also all that generation have been gathered unto their fathers, and another generation riseth after them who have not known Jehovah, and even the work which He hath done to Israel.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
6And Joshua dismissed the people, and the children of Israel went every man to his inheritance to possess the land.
7And the people served Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders whose days were prolonged after Joshua, who had seen all the great works of Jehovah, which he had done for Israel.
8And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Jehovah, died, a hundred and ten years old.
9And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-Heres, in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the mountain of Gaash.
10And also all that generation were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them, which knew not Jehovah, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
6And Josue sent away the people, and the children of Israel went every one to his own possession to hold it:
7And they served the Lord all his days, and the days of the ancients, that lived a long time after him, and who knew all the works of the Lord, which he had done for Israel.
8And Josue, the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being a hundred and ten years old;
9And they buried him in the borders of his possession in Thamnathsare, in Mount Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaas.
10And all that generation was gathered to their fathers: and there arose others that knew not the Lord and the works which he had done for Israel.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 2:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators from every era agree that these five verses are a near verbatim repetition of Joshua 24:28, 31, placed here to mark a decisive transition. The people served Yahweh as long as Joshua lived, and as long as the elders who had witnessed His great works remained. But when that generation died, a new one arose “who didn’t know Yahweh, nor the work which he had done for Israel” (v.10). Keil and Delitzsch note that the Hebrew verb yada (“knew”) here carries the sense of personal, eyewitness experience, not mere information. The new generation had heard reports; they had not seen. The Cambridge Bible agrees, calling v.10 the hinge that explains the apostasy of Judges 2:11, 13. The author’s repetition of Joshua’s death is intentional: it sets a stark contrast between covenant faithfulness and spiritual amnesia. Every tradition cited, from Matthew Henry to Adam Clarke, reads these verses as a sobering reminder that faith cannot be inherited; it must be encountered and embraced.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The passage marks the death of Joshua and the eyewitness generation, the rise of a new generation lacking personal knowledge of God’s works, and the immediate apostasy that follows. All major traditions agree on this basic narrative and transition function.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of repeating Joshua 24:28, 31 | All major commentators agree this repetition is intentional, serving as a transition from Joshua’s faithful era to the period of the judges. | None, the consensus is nearly universal. A few discuss the exact source (whether the editor of Judges reused the earlier text), but the function is undisputed. |
| Meaning of 'knew not the Lord' (v.10) | The phrase refers primarily to lack of firsthand experience of God’s saving acts, not to absolute ignorance of His name or existence. Most point to v.7 and the elders who 'had seen' as the contrast. | Some readers might ask whether the new generation consciously rejected Yahweh or simply never learned to worship Him. The supplied commentaries (e.g., Cambridge, Keil) stress the experiential gap, but do not exclude an element of willful neglect. |
| Role of the elders (v.7) | The elders who outlived Joshua served as living witnesses to God’s works and helped sustain the people’s faithfulness. | There is minor variation in estimates of how long this period lasted, Barnes suggests about 20 years after Joshua’s death; Ben Gersom (quoted by Gill) calculates 27 years total for Joshua and the elders. The point is that faithfulness was tied to their presence. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This passage opens after the conquest of Canaan under Joshua. By this point the land had been divided among the tribes, each family receiving its inheritance (v.6). The phrase “had sent the people away” echoes Joshua 22:6 and 24:28, where Joshua dismisses the tribes from a solemn covenant ceremony at Shechem. The “elders who outlived Joshua” (v.7) are described with a rare Hebrew expression: “who prolonged days after Joshua” (he’erichu yamim). As Lange’s Commentary observes, this Deuteronomic phrasing emphasizes survival, not just long life. These elders were eyewitnesses of the exodus, the wilderness journey, and the conquest, the “great work of Yahweh” (v.7).
Joshua’s death at 110 years (v.8) and his burial at Timnath-heres in the hill country of Ephraim (v.9) mirror Joshua 24:29, 30. Gill notes a Jewish tradition that the name “Heres” (sun) was chosen to commemorate Joshua’s miracle of making the sun stand still. The phrase “gathered to their fathers” (v.10) was a common euphemism for a peaceful death and reunion with ancestors in Sheol (Cambridge Bible). The surrounding context, the angel’s rebuke at Bochim (Judges 2:1, 5) and the cycle of apostasy that follows (vv.11, 19), shows that this passage is the literary bridge: it explains why Israel fell so quickly. The loss of a generation who had seen God’s power left the nation vulnerable to the idolatrous culture around them.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Judges 2:6, 10. The wording closely matches Joshua 24:28, 31, with minor differences (e.g., “Timnath-heres” in Judges vs. “Timnath-serah” in Joshua; the addition of “also” in v.10). Some early scribal traditions may have smoothed the transition, but no major manuscript issues affect interpretation.
Reception History
In the early church, Judges 2:6, 10 was read as a warning about the fragility of faith across generations. Fathers like Origen and Augustine used the passage to stress the importance of catechizing children and preserving the memory of God’s mighty deeds. During the Reformation, commentators such as Matthew Henry and the Geneva Bible editors focused on the personal responsibility to know God, not merely to belong to a faithful generation. In modern evangelical contexts, this passage is frequently cited in sermons on legacy and the need for each generation to encounter God firsthand. The repetition of Joshua’s death is seen as a literary method to underline a spiritual truth: the God of the fathers must also become the God of the children.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Faithful Era (vv.6, 7). Under Joshua and the eyewitness elders, Israel served Yahweh faithfully. Personal experience of God’s power shaped their obedience.
- The End of an Era (vv.8, 9). Joshua dies, and with him passes the leader who knew God face-to-face. The elders who shared his memory also fade.
- The New Era’s Crisis (v.10). A generation arises that “did not know the Lord.” Their ignorance is not intellectual but relational, they lacked firsthand encounter with God’s works, and apostasy followed.
Five-point outline
- The people receive their inheritance (v.6).
- They serve Yahweh during Joshua’s life and that of the elders (v.7).
- Joshua dies, honored as “the servant of the Lord” (v.8).
- He is buried in his own inheritance (v.9).
- That whole generation is gathered to its fathers, and a generation that does not know the Lord rises (v.10).
Illustration hooks
- Family stories fading. Imagine a grandparent who lived through a historic event (a war, a civil rights march). They tell the story vividly; the grandchildren listen politely but can’t grasp the weight. Once the grandparent is gone, the story becomes a rumour.
- A church plant’s first love. A group starts a church full of passion, remembering God’s provision. A generation later, the facilities are comfortable but the urgency is gone. The “great work” is a plaque on the wall, not a fire in the heart.
- Technology without memory. New employees at a company don’t know the struggles of the founders. They take stability for granted, and make the same mistakes that nearly sank the business the first time.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can we make sure our children genuinely know the Lord, not just know facts about Him?
- Why do some churches lose their spiritual passion after a strong leader dies or moves on?
- What “great works of the Lord” have I personally seen? Who am I telling?
Leading a Discussion
These five verses form a hinge between the book of Joshua and the era of the judges. They show how quickly a nation can turn from faithful service to idolatry when personal, firsthand knowledge of God is not passed on. This passage invites us to examine how we are sharing our own encounters with God, and whether we are relying on someone else’s story instead of seeking our own.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What details in v.7 tell you about the faith of Joshua’s generation? What did they “see” and “know”?
- Observation: How does v.10 describe the new generation? What does it mean to “not know” the Lord in this context, ignorance, rejection, or something else?
- Interpretation: Why do you think the author repeats the account of Joshua’s death from Joshua 24? What purpose does this repetition serve in the story of Judges?
- Interpretation: The Hebrew word yada (know) often implies intimate, experienced knowledge. How does that shape your understanding of v.10?
- Application: In your own life, what “great works of the Lord” have you witnessed? Who have you shared them with recently?
- Application: This generation “did not know the Lord” because they had not seen His works. How can a church today ensure that children and new believers experience God personally, not just hear about Him?
- Reflection: Is there any area where you are relying on borrowed faith (the faith of parents or a pastor) rather than your own encounter with God? What step can you take this week to seek a fresh experience of His work?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Joshua 22:6 | So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their tents. |
| Joshua 24:28 | So Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance. |
| Joshua 24:31 | Israel served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, and had known all the work of Yahweh, that he had worked for Israel. |
| II Kings 12:2 | Jehoash did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. |
| II Chronicles 24:2 | Joash did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes all the days of Jehoiada the priest. |
| II Chronicles 24:14 | When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, from which were made vessels for Yahweh’s house, even vessels with which to minister and to offer, including spoons and vessels of gold and silver. They offered burnt offerings in Yahweh’s house continually all the days of Jehoiada. |
| II Chronicles 24:22 | Thus Joash the king didn’t remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. When he died, he said, “May Yahweh look at it, and repay it.” |
| Philippians 2:12 | So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke emphasises that Israel's faithfulness lasted only as long as the generation who had personally seen God's mighty works was alive. Once that eyewitness generation died, the next generation, lacking that direct experience, abandoned the Lord and turned to the gods of the surrounding nations, bringing judgment upon themselves.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes calculates that about twenty years separated Joshua's death from the passing of the elders who had fought in Canaan. He also notes that the title "servant of the Lord" is given to Moses repeatedly, but appears for Joshua only here and in chapter 24.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This passage is taken directly from Joshua 24, with only small changes, showing the editor's method. The commentator highlights that Joshua's death creates a sharp break: one generation experienced God's works personally, while the next did not know Him that way, leading to spiritual decline.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight a sobering transition: the people faithfully served God as long as Joshua and the elders who witnessed His mighty works were alive. Once that entire eyewitness generation died, a new generation arose that had no personal knowledge of the Lord or the wonders He had done for Israel.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill carefully separates the events in this passage from the earlier angelic rebuke, noting that Joshua dismissed the people before his death and the disobedience came after. He also specifies that the phrase "knew not the Lord" does not mean they were ignorant of God's works, but that they lacked a practical, heart-affecting knowledge that would keep them from idolatry.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB places the account of Joshua's death here to explain why the angel's rebuke was so severe. The generation that had witnessed God's miracles and judgments remained faithful, but their children, who had no direct experience of those events, readily turned to the idolatry around them.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that the repetition of Joshua's closing verses at the start of Judges is not merely a literary link. It deliberately sharpens the contrast between the faithful generation and the apostate one, showing that the new generation's rebellion flowed necessarily from Israel's failure to drive out the Canaanites.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange's key observation is that the new generation's failure was not a lack of knowledge; they knew the facts of their history. The deeper problem was their refusal to acknowledge God as the true source of their prosperity. They inherited the land but in their comfort forgot to credit Him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights how quickly Israel fell into idolatry once the generation that witnessed God's great works had passed away. The new generation did not know the Lord because they had not personally experienced His mighty acts, and so they turned to other gods almost immediately.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.