Joshua #6

Joshua narrates Israel’s entry into Canaan under Moses’ successor: crossing the Jordan, conquering the land, and dividing it among the tribes as the long-promised inheritance.

Read Joshua in the King James Version →

Author and Date

Jewish tradition (the Talmud) attributes the book largely to Joshua himself, with the account of his death added by Eleazar or Phinehas; the book says Joshua wrote in the book of the law (Joshua 24:26). On the early chronology the events fall after c. 1406 BC. Many scholars instead see it as part of a larger history running through 2 Kings, edited centuries later, and they debate the date and scale of the conquest, including its archaeology.

Background and Audience

The book looks back on the generation after Moses, when Israel entered Canaan to receive the land promised to Abraham. Its notes that features remain “unto this day” (for example Joshua 4:9; 6:25) show it was written for later readers who needed to remember what the Lord had done.

Outline

• Chapter 1: The Lord commissions Joshua and Israel prepares to cross
• Chapters 2-5: Rahab and the spies, the crossing of the Jordan, and the renewal of the covenant sign at Gilgal
• Chapters 6-8: The fall of Jericho, Achan’s sin, the defeat and capture of Ai, and the law read at Ebal
• Chapters 9-12: The Gibeonite treaty, the southern and northern campaigns, and the list of defeated kings
• Chapters 13-21: The division of the land among the tribes, including Caleb’s inheritance, the cities of refuge, and the Levitical cities
• Chapter 22: The eastern tribes and the altar by the Jordan
• Chapters 23-24: Joshua’s farewell and the covenant renewal at Shechem

Key Themes

• The faithfulness of God in keeping his promise of land
• Courage grounded in the presence of the Lord and obedience to his word
• Holiness in war and the cost of disobedience, as with Achan
• Inclusion of the outsider, as with Rahab
• The choice of whom to serve, and the demand for covenant loyalty

Key Verses

• Joshua 1:8-9 — the Lord charges Joshua to keep the law and be strong and courageous
• Joshua 3:14-17 — the priests carrying the ark step into the Jordan, and the people cross on dry ground
• Joshua 6:20 — the walls of Jericho fall and Israel takes the city
• Joshua 21:43-45 — the summary that the Lord gave Israel the land he had sworn to give
• Joshua 24:15 — Joshua’s challenge to choose whom to serve, declaring that he and his house will serve the Lord

How It Fits the Bible

Joshua follows Deuteronomy and fulfils its promise of the land. It leads directly into Judges, which shows how quickly Israel’s loyalty faltered. Joshua’s name is the Hebrew form of “Jesus” (so the KJV of Hebrews 4:8), and Hebrews 4:8-9 argues that his rest was not final.