Judges 2:6
When Joshua dismissed the people, the people of Israel went each to his inheritance to take possession of the land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just about Joshua sending the people home; it marks the moment they fully took possession of their inheritance. The true weight lies in what follows: this was the last generation to truly remember God's mighty acts, and soon a new generation arose who knew Him not, leading to their downfall.
This verse marks the moment after Joshua has finished his leadership, and the people have received their promised land allotments. It sets the scene for the transition from a generation that experienced God's mighty acts firsthand to a new generation that will forget those lessons, leading to the cycles of disobedience and deliverance chronicled in the book of Judges.
The dust is still settling from the conquest, and Joshua has just dismissed the people. They are finally ready to settle into the land God promised. But what happens when the heroes of yesterday fade from the scene?
A Generation's Legacy
Judges 2:6 marks a pivotal moment: the people of Israel are heading out to claim their inheritance in the Promised Land. This is the dream realized, the fruit of decades of struggle, faith, and divine intervention. It's a moment of hopeful beginning, where each family is set to occupy the territory God has given them.
However, the commentary reminds us that this outward settling into the land was paralleled by an internal shift. The generation that entered Canaan had witnessed God's mighty acts firsthand – the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the provision in the wilderness. They carried the memory of God's faithfulness and power.
But the text, and the commentaries, highlight a crucial point: a new generation was on the horizon. This new group hadn't experienced those defining moments. They grew up with the stories of God's power, but not the experience. This created a vulnerability, a susceptibility to the surrounding cultures and their gods, which would soon lead them astray.
They've won the land, now it's time to possess it. But settling into a new home often brings unexpected challenges. What dangers lurked within their new territory?
Settling In, Falling Away
Verse 6 is more than just a logistical detail of land distribution; it's the setup for the unfolding drama of the book of Judges. While the Israelites were diligently taking possession of their physical inheritance, they were unknowingly setting themselves up for spiritual peril.
The land of Canaan was not an empty space. It was inhabited by nations deeply entrenched in idolatry and Canaanite religious practices. The commentaries point out that the 'inheritance' they were taking possession of was also an environment steeped in the worship of Baalim and Ashtaroth.
Understand the original words
nachalah · Hebrew Noun
The portion of land allocated to each tribe or family in Canaan, symbolizing God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promise of a dwelling place for His people.
This verse marks the pivotal moment when the Israelites settled into their promised land, setting the stage for the following narrative. The faithfulness of the first generation quickly gave way to the compromise and idolatry of the next, demonstrating how quickly spiritual heritage can be lost without intentional pursuit.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Joshua Distributes Land
After conquering Canaan, Joshua oversaw the division of the land among the twelve tribes of Israel by casting lots. This marked the official settlement of the tribes.
c. 1400-1390 BC
Joshua's Final Years and Death
Joshua lived for some years after the land's division, continuing to lead and exhort the Israelites. He died around the age of 110.
c. 1390-1370 BC
First Generation's Loyalty
The generation that experienced the Exodus and conquest remained faithful to God during their lifetimes, remembering God's mighty deeds.
c. 1370 BC onwards
New Generation Arises
A new generation grew up who had not personally witnessed the miracles of the Exodus or the conquest, and they began to forget the Lord and adopt the ways of the surrounding nations.
This verse immediately precedes a similar account of Joshua dismissing the people after dividing the land, highlighting the establishment of the people in their inheritance under his leadership.
Deuteronomy 11:24This passage describes God establishing the boundaries of the Promised Land for the Israelites, echoing the theme of inheriting and possessing the land promised by God.
Nehemiah 9:22This prayer recounts God giving the land to the people and their subsequent possession of it, emphasizing God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises regarding the inheritance.
Judges 3:12This verse marks the beginning of Israel's apostasy and oppression, directly contrasting with the initial possession of the land described in Judges 2:6 and setting up the cycle of sin and deliverance.
jfbJudges 2:6: "And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land."
6-10. And when Joshua had let the people go—This passage is a repetition of Jos 24:29-31. It was inserted here to give the reader the reasons which called forth so strong and severe a rebuke from the angel of the Lord. During the lifetime of the first occupiers, who retained a vivid recollection of all the miracles and judgments which they had witnessed in Egypt a…
clarkeJudges 2:6: "And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land."
When Joshua had let the people go - The author of this book is giving here a history of the people, from the division of the land by Joshua to the time in which the angel speaks. Joshua divided the land to them by lot; recommended obedience to God, which they solemnly promised: and they continued faithful during his life, and during the lives of those who had been…
This verse isn't just about Joshua sending the people home; it marks the moment they fully took possession of their inheritance. The true weight lies in what follows: this was the last generation to truly remember God's mighty acts, and soon a new generation arose who knew Him not, leading to their downfall.
This verse marks the moment after Joshua has finished his leadership, and the people have received their promised land allotments. It sets the scene for the transition from a generation that experienced God's mighty acts firsthand to a new generation that will forget those lessons, leading to the cycles of disobedience and deliverance chronicled in the book of Judges.
This verse marks the moment after Joshua has finished his leadership, and the people have received their promised land allotments. It sets the scene for the transition from a generation that experienced God's mighty acts firsthand to a new generation that will forget those lessons, leading to the cycles of disobedience and deliverance chronicled in the book of Judges.
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Joshua's charge to them was clear: destroy the altars, drive out the inhabitants. But the Israelites, as the rest of the chapter reveals, failed to do this completely. They began to coexist, and then to assimilate. The process of 'taking possession' of the land became dangerously intertwined with adopting the ways of its former inhabitants. The very act of settling into their God-given inheritance became a path toward spiritual compromise.
After Joshua's death
Idolatry and Disobedience
The Israelites began to intermarry with the Canaanites, worship their gods (like Baal and Ashtoreth), and neglect the Law of Moses, leading to God's anger.
"When Joshua dismissed the people, the people of Israel went each to his inheritance to take possession of the land." — This verse isn't just about Joshua sending the people home; it marks the moment they fully took possession of their inheritance. The true weight lies in what follows: this was the last generation to…
