Judges 2:7
in Judges 2And the people served the LORD throughout the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him, who had seen all the great works that the LORD had done for Israel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the people served Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Jehovah that he had wrought for Israel.
KJV
And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel.
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This verse in Judges 2
Commentary
7 notes on this verseIt mentions "the days of the elders who knew all the works of the Lord." Who is the person who "knows all the works of the Lord," except the one who does them himself?
This site's exposition
After Joshua had dismissed the people
on Judges 2:6-7
The narrative repeats Joshua 24:28 to 31 almost word for word. It adds how long the obedience lasted: "throughout the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him". What held them was men "who had seen all the great works that the LORD had done for Israel".
This site's exposition
the elders who outlived him
Albert Barnes estimates the span as about fifty years from the entry into Canaan. John Gill lists the great works as those in Egypt, at the Red Sea, in the wilderness, at the Jordan, and in Canaan. He records a Jewish fast day kept for their deaths.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Who are these elders who either came with Joshua/Jesus or after him, if not the very apostles who illumined our hearts by their writings and precepts, even bringing a certain kind of "day" among us from that "true light" in which they were partakers? Whoever, therefore, is enlightened and instructed from the precepts of the apostles and is ordained according to the apostolic rules for the service of the Lord is the very person who is said to serve the Lord in the days of the elders who came after Jesus. Do you wish to see that the apostles also were the "light of the world," just as the Savior "was the true light which illumines every person coming into the world"2? The Lord himself said to them, as it is written in the Gospel, "You are the light of the world." But if the apostles are also the light of the world, then the "days" in which "we serve the Lord" undoubtedly illuminate us through their precepts and commandments.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord that he did for Israel. In Egypt, at the Red sea, in the wilderness, at the river Jordan, and in the land of Canaan; See Gill on Jos 24:31. The Jews (a) say, the elders died on the fifth of Shebet, which answers to part of January and part of February, on which account a fast was kept on that day. (a) Schulchan Aruch, par. 1. c. 580. sect.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
If Joshua was about 80 at the entrance into Canaan, 30 years would bring us to the close of his life. The “elders” would be all that were old enough to take part in the wars of Canaan Jdg 3:1-2; and therefore, reckoning from the age of 20 to 70, a period of about 50 years may be assigned from the entrance into Canaan to the death of the elders, or 20 years after the death of Joshua. The great works of the Lord - The overthrow of the Canaanite nations.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
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 and the desert, the national character stood high for faith and piety.
The words behind it
25 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּעַבְד֤וּ | vaiyaavdu | and they served | H5647 → | 288 times |
| הָעָם֙ | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| כֹּ֖ל | kol | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יְמֵ֣י | yemei | [the] days of | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| וְכֹ֣ל׀ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יְמֵ֣י | yemei | [the] days of | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים | hazekenim | the old [men] | H2205 → | 178 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הֶאֱרִ֤יכוּ | heerikhu | they made long | H748 → | |
| יָמִים֙ | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֣י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| יְהוֹשׁ֔וּעַ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| רָא֗וּ | rau | they had seen | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֵ֣ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מַעֲשֵׂ֤ה | maaseh | [the] work of | H4639 → | 236 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| הַגָּד֔וֹל | hagadol | <the> great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂ֖ה | ʾasah | he had done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | leyisrael | for Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וַיַּעַבְד֤וּand they served
vaiyaavduH5647 →288 times
הָעָם֙the people
haamH5971 →1873 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
כֹּ֖לall
kolH3605 →5413 times
יְמֵ֣י[the] days of
yemeiH3117 →2304 times
יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַJoshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
וְכֹ֣ל׀and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
יְמֵ֣י[the] days of
yemeiH3117 →2304 times
הַזְּקֵנִ֗יםthe old [men]
hazekenimH2205 →178 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הֶאֱרִ֤יכוּthey made long
heerikhuH748 →
יָמִים֙days
yamimH3117 →2304 times
אַחֲרֵ֣יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
יְהוֹשׁ֔וּעַJoshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
רָא֗וּthey had seen
rauH7200 →1300 times
אֵ֣ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
מַעֲשֵׂ֤ה[the] work of
maasehH4639 →236 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
הַגָּד֔וֹל<the> great
hagadolH1419 →526 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עָשָׂ֖הhe had done
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃for Israel
leyisraelH3478 →2507 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Philippians 2:12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 1:5–10
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;
- Luke 13:23–24
“Lord,” someone asked Him, “will only a few people be saved?” Jesus answered,
- 1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
- Hebrews 4:11
Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience.
- 1 Peter 2:11
Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.
- 2 Peter 1:5–10
Through
2 Chronicles 24:2And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 25:2
And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Chronicles 24:17–22
After the death of Jehoiada, however, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Chronicles 25:2
Through
Joshua 24:31Israel had served the LORD throughout the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced all the works that the LORD had done for Israel.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 24:2
And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Chronicles 24:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Judges

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JUDGES 1.4 and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JUDGES 1.2.
