Single lesson
Joshua's Final Days and Burial
Joshua 24:29–33; Judges 2:6–9
This lesson helps children notice how these two passages close Joshua’s story. They will hear repeated details about Joshua and the people, and they will also spot the extra burial details that appear in Joshua 24.
Before you teach
Joshua 24:29–33 reports Joshua’s death and burial, a summary that Israel served Yahweh in Joshua’s days and in the days of the elders who knew Yahweh’s work, Joseph’s bones being buried in Shechem, and Eleazar’s death. Judges 2:6–9 repeats that Joshua sent the people to their inheritances, then restates the people’s service, Joshua’s death, and his burial.
Students will be able to identify what Joshua 24:29–33 says, what Judges 2:6–9 repeats, and what each passage teaches about Israel serving Yahweh during Joshua’s days and the elders’ days.
Welcome: Listen for repeated details
5 minWrite three headings on the board: served Yahweh, died, buried. Explain that today the class will hear two short Bible readings that share some of the same details. Read Joshua 24:29–33 first, then Judges 2:6–9. Ask children to listen for which details appear in both readings and which details appear only in Joshua 24.
Joshua 24:29, Joshua 24:30, Joshua 24:31, Joshua 24:32, Joshua 24:33, Judges 2:6, Judges 2:7, Judges 2:8, Judges 2:9
Read and explain: What both books say about Joshua
7 minShow that both passages say Joshua son of Nun died at one hundred ten years old and call him the servant of Yahweh. Both also say he was buried in the border of his inheritance in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash. Judges 2 also mentions that Joshua had sent the people away to their inheritances.
Joshua 24:29, Joshua 24:30, Judges 2:6, Judges 2:8, Judges 2:9
Discuss: A summary about serving Yahweh
6 minRead Joshua 24:31 and Judges 2:7 together. Explain that these verses summarise a period of time: Israel served Yahweh all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua. The elders are described as those who had known or seen Yahweh’s great work for Israel. Help children connect remembering Yahweh’s work with serving him.
Joshua 24:31, Judges 2:7
Make and respond: Sort repeated details and added details
8 minMake two columns called Repeated in both readings and Added in Joshua 24. Give children cards with short statements from the verses. Include Joshua died, Joshua was buried, the people served Yahweh, Joshua sent the people away, Joseph’s bones were buried, and Eleazar died. Let them sort the cards by what Judges 2:6–9 repeats and what Joshua 24:32–33 adds.
Joshua 24:29, Joshua 24:30, Joshua 24:31, Joshua 24:32, Joshua 24:33, Judges 2:6, Judges 2:7, Judges 2:8, Judges 2:9
Closing: Review each passage carefully
4 minReview Joshua 24:29–33 in its own order: Joshua died, Joshua was buried, Israel served Yahweh in Joshua’s days and the elders’ days, Joseph’s bones were buried, and Eleazar died. Then review Judges 2:6–9: Joshua sent the people away to their inheritances, the people served Yahweh in Joshua’s days and the elders’ days, Joshua died, and Joshua was buried. Finish with one true sentence about God and one about people from these verses.
Joshua 24:29, Joshua 24:30, Joshua 24:31, Joshua 24:32, Joshua 24:33, Judges 2:6, Judges 2:7, Judges 2:8, Judges 2:9
Questions to explore
What same facts about Joshua appear in both Joshua 24 and Judges 2?
Look for the repeated statements about his age, his title, and where he was buried.
Joshua 24:29, Joshua 24:30, Judges 2:8, Judges 2:9
How do Joshua 24:31 and Judges 2:7 describe the time when Israel served Yahweh?
Answer with the groups named in the verses, not with a guess about one single day or event.
Joshua 24:31, Judges 2:7
What details are added in Joshua 24 that are not repeated in Judges 2:6–9?
Look for the burial in Shechem and the death and burial connected with Phinehas.
Joshua 24:32, Joshua 24:33
Make, think or respond
Repeated or Added? Bible Card Sort
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or markers
- Bible
- scissors
- table or floor space
Try it together
- Write short statement cards from the verses, such as Joshua died, Joshua was buried, the people served Yahweh, Joshua sent the people away, Joseph’s bones were buried, and Eleazar died.
- Label two spaces Repeated in Judges 2 and Added in Joshua 24.
- Read Joshua 24:29–33 and Judges 2:6–9 again, and let children place each card where it belongs.
- Ask the class to retell Joshua 24:29–33 in its own order, then say which details Judges 2:6–9 repeats.
This activity helps children notice repetition and added details without treating the two readings as one exact cross-book sequence.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, use simple picture symbols on the cards, such as a path for sent away, hands raised for served Yahweh, and a map dot for burial places.
- For older or stronger readers, ask them to compare Joshua 24:31 and Judges 2:7 word for word and list what the elders knew or had seen about Yahweh’s work.
An optional closing prayer
You may pray: “Lord God, thank you for the great work you did for Israel. Please help us remember your work and learn to serve you faithfully.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Joshua 24
29 After these things, Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being one hundred ten years old.
30 They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.
31 Israel served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, and had known all the work of Yahweh, that he had worked for Israel.
32 They buried the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of silver. They became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
33 Eleazar the son of Aaron died. They buried him in the hill of Phinehas his son, which was given him in the hill country of Ephraim.
Judges 2
6 Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel each went to his inheritance to possess the land.
7 The people served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Yahweh that he had worked for Israel.
8 Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being one hundred ten years old.
9 They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.