Judges 2:6-10 meaning

Judges 2:6-10 returns to the narrative of Joshua and concludes his time in leadership over the Israelites.

When Joshua had dismissed the people, the sons of Israel went each to his inheritance to possess the land (v 6).

After the conquest of Canaan under Joshua, each tribe received its designated portion of land. Joshua was Moses’s successor, anointed by God to lead the Israelites after Moses’s death (Numbers 27:18-23). He had been the military commander of the Israelites as they took possession of their new homeland. He oversaw the division of the land among the tribes. His dismissal of the people marks the end of an era of unified conquest and the beginning of a period where the tribes would govern themselves individually.

The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the Lord which He had done for Israel (v 7). The Israelites remained faithful to God during Joshua’s life and that of the elders who had witnessed the miracles of the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan. This collective memory of God's power and faithfulness provided a foundation for their worship of God and obedience to the covenant.

Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of one hundred and ten (v 8). Joshua's subsequent death at an advanced age signifies the end of an era of leadership characterized by direct, miraculous intervention and guidance from God. His death in the hill country of Ephraim, specifically in Timnath-heres, located north of Mount Gaash  is significant (Joshua 24:29-30). This region, within the tribal allotment of Ephraim, was known for its elevation and strategic position, making it a noteworthy location for Joshua’s final resting place.

The following verses describe that All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel (v 10). With the passing of Joshua and his contemporaries, a new generation emerged that lacked the firsthand experience of God's mighty acts. This generation's unfamiliarity with the Lord and His deeds led to a spiritual and moral decline. They grew up in a context where the memory of the divine interventions was not as vivid or influential, which contributed to a departure from faithfulness and obedience.

This lack of development from generation to generation can be at least partly attributed to the failure of the Israelites to carry out the practice of discipleship. Paul explains the process saying,

“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
(2 Timothy 2:2)

Jesus perfectly exemplifies effective discipleship during His ministry as He invested in the twelve. The effectiveness is seen in His disciples’ successful efforts to spread the gospel in such a way to multiply those receiving it. In this circumstance with the Israelites, we see them miss the mark, which results in a faithless generation.

This passage highlights the importance of generational continuity in faith and knowledge of God's works. The Israelites' decline in faithfulness shows the need for ongoing discipleship and remembrance of what God did for them and how He continued to take care of them.