This verse isn't just about burying bones; it highlights the meticulous fulfillment of a promise made generations earlier, showing how God's people were deeply connected to their history and the covenant promises passed down. It also subtly points to the security and permanence of their inheritance in the promised land, finally able to lay their patriarch to rest.
As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse concludes Joshua's farewell address and the covenant renewal ceremony at Shechem. Following Joshua's death and burial, and the death of the elders who knew God's mighty acts, the text shifts to the burial of Joseph's bones, fulfilling a promise made generations earlier and solidifying his tribe's inheritance in the land. This act of honoring Joseph's final request serves as a poignant echo of faithfulness and remembrance within the newly established Israelite nation.
Imagine carrying a sacred burden for 40 years, waiting for the right moment to lay it to rest. This verse reveals a profound act of faith and obedience.
Joshua 24:32 tells us the Israelites buried Joseph's bones in Shechem. This wasn't just a simple burial; it was the fulfillment of a promise made by Joseph himself before his death in Egypt (Genesis 50:25). For two centuries, his mummified remains were carried with the Israelites through the wilderness, a constant reminder of God's covenant and the promised land.
This act underscores:
This burial site wasn't just any plot of land; it was a significant purchase made generations earlier, tying this moment back to God's foundational promises.
The passage specifies that Joseph's bones were buried in Shechem, in land Jacob had purchased from Hamor for one hundred pieces of silver (Joshua 24:32). This detail is rich with meaning:
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Understand the original words
nachalah · Hebrew Noun
Biblically, an inheritance is a portion of land or possession given as a permanent gift, often linked to the promise made to the patriarchs regarding the Promised Land. It signifies a secure, enduring, and God-ordained possession.
The burial of Joseph's bones at Shechem, fulfilling a centuries-old promise, happens in the same momentous gathering where Joshua leads Israel in a final covenant renewal before his death, highlighting the importance of remembering God's faithfulness and covenant commitments across generations.
~1805 BC
Jacob buys land at Shechem
Jacob purchases a parcel of land from the sons of Hamor in Shechem, a significant transaction that would later become an inheritance for Joseph's descendants.
~1405 BC
Joseph's bones taken from Egypt
During the Exodus from Egypt, the Israelites carried the mummified bones of Joseph with them, fulfilling a deathbed promise made by Joseph centuries earlier.
c. 1405-1395 BC
Conquest and settlement of Canaan
Following their entry into the Promised Land, the Israelites under Joshua's leadership conquered various Canaanite cities, including Shechem, and began the process of dividing the land among the tribes.
c. 1395 BC— this verse
Joshua convenes assembly at Shechem
Joshua gathers all Israel at Shechem to renew their covenant with God, reaffirming their commitment to His laws and commandments before his death.
c. 1395 BC— this verse
Burial of Joseph's bones
The Israelites bury the bones of Joseph in the field Jacob had purchased at Shechem, fulfilling his final wish and a promise kept through generations.
c. 1395 BC
Death of Joshua
Joshua, the servant of the Lord, dies at the age of 110 and is buried in his own inheritance in the hill-country of Ephraim.
This passage directly references Joseph's dying command for his bones to be carried out of Egypt, setting the stage for the event described in Joshua 24:32.
Exodus 13:19This verse shows the fulfillment of Joseph's request as Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, carrying Joseph's bones with them, directly linking the exodus narrative to the burial mentioned in Joshua.
Genesis 33:19This passage records Jacob's original purchase of the land at Shechem, providing the historical and ancestral context for why this specific plot of land became Joseph's inheritance and burial site.
Acts 7:16Stephen's speech in the New Testament recounts the Israelites carrying Joseph's bones, aligning with the account in Joshua and showing the tradition's continuation.
Joshua 24:15This verse, from the same chapter, highlights the covenant renewal at Shechem, emphasizing the importance of faithfulness to God in the promised land, which the burial of Joseph's bones at this significant location underscores.
jfbJoshua 24:32: "And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph."
- the bones of Joseph—They had carried these venerable relics with them in all their migrations through the desert, and deferred the burial, according to the dying charge of Joseph himself, till they arri…
calvinJoshua 24:25-33: "So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem."
And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it has heard all the words of the LORD which he spoke unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest you deny your God.
Dixitque Josue ad universum populum, En lapis iste erit nobis in testimonium: ipse enim audivit omnia verba Jehovae quae loquutus est nobiscum, eritqu…
This verse isn't just about burying bones; it highlights the meticulous fulfillment of a promise made generations earlier, showing how God's people were deeply connected to their history and the covenant promises passed down. It also subtly points to the security and permanence of their inheritance in the promised land, finally able to lay their patriarch to rest.
This verse concludes Joshua's farewell address and the covenant renewal ceremony at Shechem. Following Joshua's death and burial, and the death of the elders who knew God's mighty acts, the text shifts to the burial of Joseph's bones, fulfilling a promise made generations earlier and solidifying his tribe's inheritance in the land. This act of honoring Joseph's final request serves as a poignant echo of faithfulness and remembrance within the newly established Israelite nation.
This verse concludes Joshua's farewell address and the covenant renewal ceremony at Shechem. Following Joshua's death and burial, and the death of the elders who knew God's mighty acts, the text shifts to the burial of Joseph's bones, fulfilling a promise made generations earlier and solidifying his tribe's inheritance in the land. This act of honoring Joseph's final request serves as a poignant echo of faithfulness and remembrance within the newly established Israelite nation.
"As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. It became an inhe…" — This verse isn't just about burying bones; it highlights the meticulous fulfillment of a promise made generations earlier, showing how God's people were deeply connected to their history and the cove…
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Last reviewed October 2026
