Joshua 24:28 kjv
So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.
Joshua 24:28 nkjv
So Joshua let the people depart, each to his own inheritance.
Joshua 24:28 niv
Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.
Joshua 24:28 esv
So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.
Joshua 24:28 nlt
Then Joshua sent all the people away to their own homelands.
Joshua 24 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "...To your offspring I will give this land." | God's initial promise of land to Abraham. |
| Gen 13:15 | "For all the land... to you I will give it, and to your offspring forever." | Reiteration of the land promise. |
| Num 26:52-56 | "...The land shall be divided by lot... to the larger give a larger..." | Instruction for land distribution by tribes. |
| Num 34:1-12 | "...The boundaries of the land of Canaan..." | Details on the specific borders of the land. |
| Deu 16:7 | "...you shall go back to your tents." | Example of people dismissed after a festival. |
| Jos 11:23 | "So Joshua took the whole land... and Joshua gave it for an inheritance..." | Summary of the successful conquest. |
| Jos 13:1 | "...the land that yet remains to be possessed." | Reminder of incomplete conquest but distribution still happening. |
| Jos 14:1-5 | "These are the inheritances... which Eleazar... and Joshua... divided..." | Beginning of the detailed land apportionment. |
| Jos 19:51 | "These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest... and Joshua..." | Conclusion of the detailed land apportionment. |
| Jos 21:43-45 | "Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land... all came to pass." | Divine fulfillment of the land promise. |
| Jos 23:14 | "...not one word has failed of all the good promises..." | Joshua's declaration of God's faithfulness. |
| Jos 24:14-15 | "Now fear the Lord... choose this day whom you will serve..." | Immediate preceding call to covenant obedience. |
| Jos 24:16-18 | "...we will serve the Lord, for he is our God." | The people's declaration to serve God. |
| Jdg 2:6 | "When Joshua sent the people away, the people of Israel went each..." | Directly repeats and bridges to the Judges era. |
| 1 Ki 8:66 | "...he sent the people away... joyful and glad of heart..." | Example of a celebratory dismissal (Solomon). |
| Ps 78:54-55 | "...brought them to his sacred territory... allotted them an inheritance." | God's action in settling Israel in the land. |
| Isa 60:21 | "...Your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land..." | Future prophetic promise of land and righteousness. |
| Act 7:5 | "Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length..." | Points to God's ultimate promise vs. immediate possession by Abraham. |
| Eph 1:11 | "...obtained an inheritance, having been predestined..." | Spiritual inheritance for believers in Christ. |
| Eph 1:14 | "...who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire it..." | The Holy Spirit as guarantee of spiritual inheritance. |
| Col 1:12 | "...qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." | Believers' share in the heavenly inheritance. |
| Heb 11:8-10 | "By faith Abraham obeyed... looking forward to the city... having foundations." | Faith for the ultimate spiritual inheritance/city. |
| 1 Pet 1:4 | "...to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading..." | The eternal, spiritual inheritance reserved in heaven. |
Joshua 24 verses
Joshua 24 28 Meaning
Joshua 24:28 marks the end of a pivotal national gathering. After the renewal of the covenant with God at Shechem, Joshua dismissed the people, sending each person back to their designated tribal and family land portion. This verse signifies the completion of the conquest and land distribution phase, moving Israel from a united military and spiritual campaign into the life of settled tribes, each responsible for living out their covenant obligations within their own inheritance. It highlights God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promise to provide a land for His people.
Joshua 24 28 Context
Joshua chapter 24 records Joshua's final public address to the nation of Israel before his death. He convenes all the tribes at Shechem, a historically significant site, to deliver a solemn review of God's redemptive history with Israel, from Abraham through the exodus and wilderness wanderings, to their entry and settlement in the promised land. Joshua then challenges the people to "choose this day whom you will serve," leading to a powerful covenant renewal ceremony where the people affirm their commitment to serve the Lord alone and put away foreign gods. Following this renewed pledge, Joshua establishes a standing stone as a witness to their covenant with God. Verse 28 serves as the concluding action of this momentous gathering, signifying the successful transition of Israel from a conquering force to settled inhabitants of the promised land, now individually responsible for living according to the terms of their covenant.
Joshua 24 28 Word analysis
So Joshua sent the people away:
- So / Then (וַיְשַׁלַּח, vayishallach): The Hebrew imperfect consecutive "וַיְשַׁלַּח" (and he sent) connects this action directly to the preceding covenant renewal. It indicates a consequential and completed action following the significant events at Shechem.
- Joshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, Yehoshua): Meaning "Yahweh is salvation" or "Yahweh saves." As the leader who faithfully executed God's commands and led Israel into the promised land, his name reflects the very nature of God's work for His people. This is one of his final acts of leadership before his death (Jos 24:29).
- sent... away (שָׁלַח, shalach): The verb implies a purposeful dismissal or release. It's not a mere breaking up of a crowd but an authoritative sending, granting permission for them to disperse after the national assembly. It marks a transition from a centralized national gathering to localized tribal life.
- the people (הָעָם, ha'am): Refers to all the tribes of Israel, representing the entire covenant community that had just participated in the renewal ceremony.
each to his inheritance:
- each / every man (אִישׁ, 'ish): Emphasizes that the dismissal was individualized, underscoring that the benefits and responsibilities of the land extended to every man and family unit according to their specific allotment. It signifies an orderly and complete dispersion.
- his inheritance (אֶל-נַחֲלָתוֹ, 'el nachalato): The word נַחֲלָה (nachalah) means "inheritance," "possession," "allotment." It is not just property but a portion of the land promised by God (Gen 12:7) and allocated to each tribe and clan by lot (Jos 14-19). This highlights the fulfillment of God's divine promise regarding the land. This land was intrinsically linked to their identity, covenant obedience, and sustained worship of God.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "So Joshua sent the people away": This phrase underlines Joshua's definitive leadership role in bringing closure to a national sacred event. It signifies the formal transition from unified national assembly and military operations to dispersed, settled tribal life.
- "each to his inheritance": This emphasizes the successful distribution of the promised land and the transition to the practical implications of covenant living within their specific, divinely allocated territories. It highlights the individuality within the collective, where each family now bore the responsibility of living righteously within their own sphere of influence, under God's watchful eye. The term "inheritance" signifies divine gift and foundational security.
Joshua 24 28 Bonus section
- This verse stands as a deliberate parallel to the beginning of the book of Judges (Jdg 2:6), emphasizing the continuity of the narrative and the immediate post-Joshua era where the challenges of faithfulness would emerge.
- The "inheritance" (נַחֲלָה, nachalah) in Israelite theology was not merely property but a divinely granted privilege and responsibility, signifying God's covenant loyalty. The retention of this inheritance was contingent on their faithfulness to Him (Lev 25:23).
- The structured dismissal by "each to his inheritance" highlights God's orderly provision and the stability He brought to Israel's life after decades of wandering and warfare.
Joshua 24 28 Commentary
Joshua 24:28 functions as a critical narrative conclusion, marking the peaceful dispersal of the unified tribes of Israel after a profound spiritual re-commitment. It underscores God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promise of land to Abraham's descendants (Jos 21:43-45) and signifies a pivotal transition. No longer a nomadic, warring nation under a singular leader for conquest, Israel was now a collection of settled tribes, each occupying their divinely apportioned "inheritance." This was the practical outworking of their identity as the people of God dwelling in the land promised to them. The verse implicitly shifts the responsibility for covenant obedience from the national leadership of Joshua to the individual tribes and families living in their territories, setting the stage for the challenges of the book of Judges as they navigate living among lingering Canaanite influences. It points to an established people in an established land, under the established covenant with God.