History
The book of Joshua
Israel enters Canaan under Joshua: the crossing of the Jordan, the fall of Jericho, and the division of the land.
The book tells of Joshua leading Israel across the Jordan, taking the land, and dividing it among the tribes. It uses “I” and “we” for the writer when speaking of the crossing (Joshua 5:1, 6), which fits an eyewitness, and says Joshua wrote the covenant in “the book of the law of God” (24:26). The account of his death was added afterward.
Kinds of writing
- Narrative 94%
- Discourse 6%
Key verses
Be strong and courageous. Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 (World English Bible)
Rahab's confession. As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.
Joshua 2:11 (World English Bible)
The walls of Jericho fall. So the people shouted and the priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight in front of him, and they took the city.
Joshua 6:20 (World English Bible)
Not one good promise failed. Nothing failed of any good thing which Yahweh had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.
Joshua 21:45 (World English Bible)
As for me and my house. If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.
Joshua 24:15 (World English Bible)
People
Places
JordanGilgalJerichoAiGibeonHebronShilohShechem
On the timeline
Rahab hides the spiesIsrael crosses the JordanThe walls of Jericho fallAchan's sin and the defeat at AiThe Gibeonites' deceptionThe sun stands still at GibeonTabernacle set up at Shiloh; land dividedJoshua's farewell and death
Dating notes
Joshua died in 1443 BC (Ussher); the book was probably finished within a generation of that. The conventional conservative date for the Exodus is 1446 BC, which would put the writing 45 years later than shown here; this timeline follows Ussher’s 1491 BC.