Joshua 23 · Verse 2

Joshua 23:2

And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:
Joshua 23:2, King James Version

Joshua 23:2 in other translations

BSBhe summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers. “I am old and well along in years,” he said,
WEBJoshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said to them, “I am old and well advanced in years.
ASVthat Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and well stricken in years:
YLTand Joshua calleth for all Israel, for its elders, and for its heads, and for its judges, and for its authorities, and saith unto them, ‘I have become old; I have entered into days;
DARBYthat Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am become old, advanced in age;
BBEJoshua sent for all Israel, for their responsible men and their chiefs and their judges and their overseers, and said to them, I am old, and full of years:
WebsterAnd Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said to them, I am old and advanced in age:

What does Joshua 23:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. Joshua called for all Israel--The clause which follows seems to restrict this general expression as applicable only to the officers and representatives of the people. The place of assembly was most probably Shiloh. The occasion of convening it was the extreme age and approaching death of the venerable leader; and the purport of this solemn address was to animate the chosen people and their posterity to a faithful and unswerving continuance in the faith and worship of the God of Israel.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Joshua called for all Israel - There are four degrees of civil distinction mentioned here: 1. זקנים zekenim, the elders or senate, the Princes of the tribes. 2. ראשים rashim or rashey aboth, the Chiefs or Heads of families. 3. שפטים shophetim, the Judges who interpreted and decided according to the law. 4. שטרים shoterim, the Officers, serjeants, etc., who executed the decisions of the judges. Whether this assembly was held at Timnath-serah, where Joshua lived, or at Shiloh, where the ark was, or at Shechem, as in Jos 24:1, we cannot tell. Some think that the meaning here, and that mentioned in Jos 24:1, were the same, and if so, Shechem was the place of assembling; but it is more likely that the two chapters treat of two distinct assemblies, whether held at the same place or not.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 23:1-10

Joshua was old and dying, let them observe what he said now. He put them in mind of the great things God had done for them in his days. He exhorted them to be very courageous. Keep with care, do with diligence, and regard with sincerity what is written. Also, very cautiously to endeavour that the heathen idolatry may be forgotten, so that it may never be revived. It is sad that among Christians the names of the…

Read the full comment on Joshua 23:1-10 →

Joshua 23:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּקְרָ֤אvai.yik.Ra'and he summonedH7121
יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ye.ho.Shu.a'JoshuaH3091
לְכָל\־le.khol<to> allH3605
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
לִזְקֵנָיו֙liz.ke.Nav<to> elders itsH2205
וּלְרָאשָׁ֔יוu.le.ra.Shavand <to> leaders itsH7218
וּלְשֹׁפְטָ֖יוu.le.sho.fe.Tavand <to> judges itsH8199
וּלְשֹֽׁטְרָ֑יוu.le.sho.te.Ravand <to> officials itsH7860
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אֲלֵהֶ֔ם'a.le.Hemto themH413
אֲנִ֣י'a.NiIH589
זָקַ֔נְתִּיza.Kan.tiI am oldH2204
בָּ֖אתִיBa.tiI have comeH935
בַּיָּמִֽים\׃bai.ya.Mimin <the> daysH3117

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joshua 23:2

  • Joshua 24:1

    And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

  • 1 Chronicles 28:1

    And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.

  • Deuteronomy 31:28

    Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.

  • Acts 20:17-35

    And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
all Israel.
24:1; De 31:28; 1Ch 28:1; Ac 20:17-35
and for their elders.Or, "even for their elders," etc.; for it is probably that Joshua gave the following charge only to the elders, judges, etc., to communicate to the people.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joshua 23:1

    And it came to pass a long time after that the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.

  • Joshua 23:2

    And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:

  • Joshua 23:3

    And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you.

Read all of Joshua 23

Joshua 23:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Llamó á todo Israel, á sus ancianos, á sus príncipes, á sus jueces y á sus oficiales, y díjoles: Yo soy ya viejo y entrado en días:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		– il arriva que Josué appela tout Israël, ses anciens, et ses chefs, et ses juges, et ses magistrats, et leur dit: Je suis vieux, je suis avancé en âge;
German
Elberfelder 1871		da berief Josua ganz Israel: seine Ältesten und seine Häupter und seine Richter und seine Vorsteher, und sprach zu ihnen: Ich bin alt geworden, wohlbetagt;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		vocavit Josue omnem Israëlem, majoresque natu, et principes ac duces, et magistros, dixitque ad eos: Ego senui, et progressioris ætatis sum: