Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 24:31
And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
31. And Israel served the Lord ] The remarks here made as to the conduct of the nation after the death of Joshua are quite in keeping with the design of the book. They afford “evidence of the fruit, which resulted from Joshua’s faithful activity for the Lord in Israel.” “As on the dark sky when some flashing meteor has swept across it with a path of fire, there remains still after the glory has departed a lingering line of light, so was it with this mighty man, glorious in life, and leaving even after he was gone, the record of his abundant faithfulness still to hold for a season heavenward the too wandering eyes of Israel.” Bp Wilberforce’s Heroes of Hebrew History, p. 154.
that overlived Joshua ] Heb. that prolonged their days after Joshua. Comp. Jdg 2:7, margin.
all the works of the Lord ] in the delivery of the nation from Egyptian bondage, their guidance through the desert, and their settlement in the Promised Land.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 31. And Israel served the Lord, c.] 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 Jos 24:28.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
31. Israel served the Lord all thedays of JoshuaThe high and commanding character of thiseminent leader had given so decided a tone to the sentiments andmanners of his contemporaries and the memory of his fervent piety andmany virtues continued so vividly impressed on the memories of thepeople, that the sacred historian has recorded it to his immortalhonor. “Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and allthe days of the elders that overlived Joshua.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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, Jud 2:6;
and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel; in Egypt, at the Red sea, in the wilderness, as well as since their coming into the land of Canaan.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(31) Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and . . . of the elders that overlived Joshua.It cannot surprise us that the personal influence of the man and of the events of his day was so difficult to efface. There was a primitive Church in Canaan as well as in the Roman Empire. The short duration of the one seems to have an analogy in the case of the other.
(32) The bones of Joseph, and also of his brethren, as appears by Act. 7:16. The precedent set by Joseph is exceedingly likely to have been followed.
And it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.It may be that this fact helped to fix the position of Ephraim and Manasseh in the centre of the country.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘ And the children of Israel served YHWH all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work of YHWH, that he had wrought for Israel.’
This summary verse confirms that during the life of Joshua and his near contemporaries who had seen the great works of YHWH in Egypt and in the wilderness, the people remained faithful. The elders, who remembered the past, were the father figures in the tribes and sub-tribes, and they ruled well. They kept apart from the Canaanites and worshipped YHWH only, maintaining the covenant faithfully, attending at the feasts at the central sanctuary, and living by His Law under the guidance of the priests and Levites, although there were always going to be exceptions. Thus the book finishes with a declaration that Joshua left things in good order, and that things seemed well.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 31. And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua So long as this pious general was at the head of the people of Israel, idolatry durst not show itself, and the Israelites in public adored only the true God. Moses did not enjoy the like happiness. Every one knows what a disturbance that depraved taste which the Hebrews had imbibed for idolatry in Egypt, produced in the affair of the golden calf: God, however, remedied it, by condemning the offenders to wander forty years in that wilderness, where, according to St. Chrysostom, all those perished who had been witnesses of that horrible apostacy; that thus there might remain no one among them capable of teaching them again so atrocious a kind of impiety. See Vitae Monastic. Vitup. lib. 1.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
An honourable testimony is here given both to Joshua and the elders. Oh! for the influence of our almighty Joshua to be ever upon his people.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 24:31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
Ver. 31. See Trapp on “ Jos 23:8 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED TEXT): Jos 24:31
31Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, and had known all the deeds of the LORD which He had done for Israel.
Jos 24:31 This is a common theme in the OT. Those who experienced YHWH’s power and deliverance remained faithful, but the next generation which only heard about it often went astray (e.g., the book of Judges).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
all the days. The expression is not necessarily a long period. in Jos 11:18 it-seven years; in Jos 23:1 = within ten years; here it = three years. See App-50.
works = work.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
overlived
prolonged their days after.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
served: Deu 31:29, Jdg 2:7, 2Ch 24:2, 2Ch 24:17, 2Ch 24:18, Act 20:29, Phi 2:12
overlived Joshua: Heb. prolonged their days after Joshua, which had. Deu 11:2, Deu 11:7, Deu 31:13
Reciprocal: Jdg 2:17 – which their Jdg 2:19 – when the Jdg 8:33 – as soon 2Ch 34:33 – all his days Jer 2:21 – wholly
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
24:31 And Israel {n} served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
(n) Such are the people commonly as their rulers are.