Joshua 24:32
And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
Joshua 24:32 (KJV)
Context
Joshua 24 closes with Joshua’s farewell address to Israel. He reminds the people of God’s faithful acts and calls them to choose whom they will serve. The people promise to serve the Lord, and Joshua writes these words in the Book of the Law. He also sets up a large stone as a witness to their covenant. The burial of Joseph’s bones comes at this solemn moment, as the nation renews its commitment to God in the very land promised to their ancestors.
Meaning
The verse begins with the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt. Joseph had made his brothers swear that they would carry his remains with them when God led them to the Promised Land (Genesis 50:25). This act was a confession of faith. Joseph trusted that God would keep His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The burial in Shechem fulfilled that long-held hope.
Shechem was not a random location. It was the place where God first appeared to Abraham when he entered the land (Genesis 12:6-7). Jacob also settled there after returning from Paddan-aram and bought a parcel of ground from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for a hundred pieces of silver (Genesis 33:18-19). This purchase gave the family a legal right to a portion of the land long before the conquest. By burying Joseph in that same plot, Israel connected the patriarchs’ faith to the nation’s present inheritance.
The verse also says that the burial site became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, each received a portion of the land. The territory of Ephraim included Shechem, and later the tribe of Ephraim received this area as part of its allotment (Joshua 17:14-18). The burial place was not merely a memorial; it was a permanent family possession that confirmed God’s promise to Joseph’s descendants.
Biblical connections
The burial of Joseph’s bones is a direct fulfillment of the oath recorded in Genesis 50:25. It also echoes the broader pattern of God’s faithfulness. The same God who promised Abraham that his descendants would possess the land (Genesis 15:18-21) brought Israel out of Egypt and settled them in that land. The act of burying Joseph’s remains in Shechem, a place of covenant renewal (Joshua 24:1, 25), ties the patriarchs’ hope to the nation’s present reality.
Application
This verse teaches the importance of keeping promises across generations. The Israelites carried Joseph’s bones for forty years in the wilderness and through the conquest. They did not forget the oath their ancestors made. In the same way, believers today are called to remember God’s promises and to pass them on to their children. Faithfulness often requires patient endurance over a long time.
The purchase of the land by Jacob also reminds us that God’s gifts are real and lasting. Jacob paid for the ground; he did not take it by force. This small plot became a sign of the greater inheritance that God would give to all Israel. For Christians, this points to the secure inheritance we have in Christ, which is kept for us and cannot be lost.
Reflection
Joseph’s burial in Shechem is a quiet but powerful testimony. It shows that God’s promises are certain, even when fulfillment seems distant. Joseph died in Egypt, but he looked forward to the land God had sworn to give. His bones became a visible reminder that God keeps His word. As we read this verse, we are encouraged to trust God’s faithfulness in our own lives, even when we cannot see the outcome. The God who led Israel to the Promised Land will also lead His people to their eternal inheritance.
