The Meaning of Joshua 23:2 Explained

Joshua 23:2

KJV: And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:

YLT: and Joshua calleth for all Israel, for its elders, and for its heads, and for its judges, and for its authorities, and saith unto them, 'I have become old; I have entered into days;

Darby: that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am become old, advanced in age;

ASV: that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and well stricken in years:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Joshua  called  for all Israel,  [and] for their elders,  and for their heads,  and for their judges,  and for their officers,  and said  unto them, I am old  [and] stricken  in age: 

What does Joshua 23:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 23:1-16 - Joshua's Farewell Address
Joshua's anxiety for the welfare of his people after his death has New Testament parallels. See Acts 20:29; 2 Peter 1:13-15; and especially John 13:1-38; John 14:1-31; John 15:1-27. As always, he lays stress on what the Lord had done, Joshua 23:3; Joshua 23:5; Joshua 23:9. Not one ray of glory is stolen for himself.
He argues for their steadfastness on three grounds: There are the promises of Joshua 23:5; the threatenings of Joshua 23:11-13; the exhortations of Joshua 23:14-16. Our failure to drive out the foes of our heart is due to our failure to follow the Lord. A lack of whole-hearted surrender lies at the root of all failure. Cleaving to the Lord is the Old Testament way of saying "abide in Christ," John 15:1-27.
In contrast to man's inconstancy and infidelity, notice the sublime testimony to God's faithfulness. "Not one thing hath failed," Joshua 23:14. When at last we review our life, we, too, shall be able to say as much, if only by His grace we are kept faithful and obedient. We cannot keep the old Covenant, but the new stands forever, Jeremiah 31:31. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 23

1  Joshua's exhortation before his death
3  by former benefits
5  by promises
11  and by threatenings

What do the individual words in Joshua 23:2 mean?

And called Joshua for all Israel for their elders for their heads for their judges for their officers and said to them I am old advanced in age
וַיִּקְרָ֤א יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ לְכָל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִזְקֵנָיו֙ וּלְרָאשָׁ֔יו וּלְשֹׁפְטָ֖יו וּלְשֹֽׁטְרָ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אֲנִ֣י זָקַ֔נְתִּי בָּ֖אתִי בַּיָּמִֽים

וַיִּקְרָ֤א  And  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
לְכָל־  for  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לִזְקֵנָיו֙  for  their  elders 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
וּלְרָאשָׁ֔יו  for  their  heads 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
וּלְשֹׁפְטָ֖יו  for  their  judges 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
וּלְשֹֽׁטְרָ֑יו  for  their  officers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁטַר  
Sense: (Qal) official, officer.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵהֶ֔ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
זָקַ֔נְתִּי  am  old 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: to be old, become old.
בָּ֖אתִי  advanced 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בַּיָּמִֽים  in  age 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.

What are the major concepts related to Joshua 23:2?

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