Revised by Monica Melanchthon (07/23)
1. Introduction (JoshuaThe successor of Moses, Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan. More 1:1-18)
A. The Lord Commissions Joshua (Joshua 1:1-9)
After the death of MosesProphet who led Israel out of Egypt to the Promised Land and received the law at Sinai. More (recorded in the last chapter of Deuteronomy), the Lord commissions Joshua, son of Nun, in a fashion similar to that of a king, to lead the Israelites across the Jordan into the land the Lord is giving them. The extent of the land is defined (1:4). The Lord promises to be with Joshua and commands him to “be strong and courageous” (1:6, 7, 9). The people are encouraged to be obedient to the law and warnings similar to those found in Deuteronomy are issued (1:7). Joshua is instructed to adhere to the law and to meditate upon it, for it will ensure the success of his leadership (1:8-9).
B. Joshua Prepares the People (Joshua 1:10-18)
Joshua instructs the Israelites to prepare for the crossing of the Jordan. The tribes of ReubenThe eldest son of Jacob and Leah, and forefather of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. More, GadA son of Jacob and one of the 12 tribes. More, and Manasseh had requested land east of the Jordan to pasture their huge flocks and were not planning on crossing the Jordan. Joshua commissions the three tribes to first help their fellow Israelites in conquering the land west of the Jordan. The people promise obedience to Joshua and echo God’s command to him to “be strong and courageous” (1:18).
2. The Israelite Spies and RahabProstitute who sheltered Joshua’s men when they came to spy on Jericho. More (Joshua 2:1-24)
Joshua sends two Israelite spies to survey the land. They enter Jericho and actively seek a sex worker, staying with Rahab. She facilitates their stay; hides them from the king of Jericho and does so at the expense of her own people. She conveys to them how afraid her people are; her knowledge of the power of YHWH the God of the Israelites and all that YHWH had done. She confesses that it is YHWH, “who is God in heaven above and earth below” and it is this God who has given the land to Israel. In return for her help, she requests the safety and deliverance of her own family — father, mother, brothers, and sisters – and all that they own, when the Israelites conquer the city (2:13). The spies promise to deal faithfully with her if she remains loyal. The spies flee after instructing her to gather her family and to tie a red cord in the window through which they escaped. The spies return to camp and report to Joshua.
3. Israel Crosses the Jordan River (Joshua 3:1-5:1)
These two chapters narrate the crossing of the river Jordan. The description bears many similarities –but some differences as well – to Exodus 14–15:31. The Israelites cross the Jordan River from east to west, into the land of promise, following the priests who carry the ark of the covenantThe ark of the covenant was a box or chest that God commanded the Israelites to make from wood richly adorned with gold. The ark was built to contain the tablets of the covenant (the Ten Commandments). The ark served as a mobile shrine to… More. As at the Red Sea, God parts the waters for the Israelites so that they cross on dry ground. Joshua and the Israelites set up twelve stones as a memorial at Gilgal, where they camp after crossing the Jordan. The leaders of the native communities in the area and those surrounding it hear of the drying of the waters of the Jordan and fear the Israelites.
4. CircumcisionCircumcision is an act of cutting off part of a male (or female) sex organ for religious or health reasons. In the Bible circumcision was performed on males to indicate inclusion into the Jewish religious community. Some church calendars commemorate January 1 as the Circumcision… More and PassoverPassover commemorates the deliverance of the Hebrew people from Egypt as described in the book of Exodus. It is celebrated with worship and a meal on the fourteenth day of the month called Nisan, which is the first month of the Jewish year. The time… More (Joshua 5:2-12)
All the male Israelites born during the wilderness wanderings are circumcised as per the assertion of the Deuteronomist. Unlike their parents’ generation, they were not circumcised in the wilderness. The place where they were circumcised is named, Gibeath Haaraloth translated as the “hill of foreskins.” They celebrate the Passover and start eating the produce of the land. The supply of manna that sustained them in the wilderness for 40 years ceases, since the land is now able to provide for the people. Until this point, the Israelites were dependent on the gracious providence and sustenance of God. But now, these cease, and they are confronted by the realities of life in the land, the difficulties that come with working the land and the resistance and protestations of its indigenous peoples.
5. The Commander of the Army of the Lord (Joshua 5:13-15)
While Joshua is in Jericho, he has a vision of a heavenly soldier, a man wielding a sword. Upon being questioned, the soldier claims that he belongs neither to the Israelites nor the adversaries but is the commander of the army of the Lord, equipped for battle. Joshua falls on his face to the ground and requests instruction. In an echo of Moses’ vision at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-6), the heavenly emissary tells Joshua to remove the sandals from his feet, for the ground upon which he is standing is holyHoly is a term that originally meant set apart for the worship or service of God. While the term may refer to people, objects, time, or places, holiness in Judaism and Christianity primarily denotes the realm of the divine More, to indicate that the land belongs to God.
6. The Conquest and Destruction of Jericho (Joshua 6:1-27)
The city of Jericho is under lockdown out of fear of the Israelites. With assurance from God that the city has already been given to Joshua, and acting upon instructions from God, the Israelite people march around the city of Jericho, with seven priests carrying the ark and blowing on trumpets of ram’s horns continually. In front of the ark are the armed men, while the rear guard follow the ark. They do this once every day for six days. On the seventh day, they march around the city seven times. Joshua tells them that they are to destroy the city and should not covet those devoted thingsDevoted things are objects dedicated to God for worship. In the book of Joshua Israel committed a transgression against God by stealing and misusing some of the devoted things. In Judges devoted things (cherem) included women and children and were granted protection. More (vessels made of silver, gold, iron or bronze), set apart for God and belonging to the treasury of God. During the seventh march around the city, the people hear the long blast of the ram’s horn and shout as instructed. The walls of the city miraculously fallThe Fall refers specifically to the disobedience of Adam and Eve when they listened to Satan rather than adhering to God’s command not to eat the fruit from the tree. When people act contrary to God’s will, they are said to fall from from grace… More, giving access to the Israelites who destroy Jericho and everyone and everything in it (both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys), except for Rahab and her family. Anyone who attempts to rebuild the city now stands cursed. Joshua’s fame spreads.
7. The Sin of Achan (Joshua 7:1-26)
The spies sent to scout out Ai return and inform Joshua that it is a small city which does not need all the people to be involved in the battle against it. Only 3,000 Israelite men go to fight Ai and return, failing to take the city. They also lose 36 of their men who are chased and killed. This loss shakes the confidence of the Israelites who soon learn that God is angry, because one of them has taken booty (a beautiful mantle from Shinar and 200 shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels), from Jericho that should have been “devoted to destruction” This act is tantamount to transgression of the covenantA covenant is a promise or agreement. In the Bible the promises made between God and God’s people are known as covenants; they state or imply a relationship of commitment and obedience. More. God reveals the culprit to be Achan, of the tribe of JudahJudah was the name of Jacob’s fourth son and one of the 12 tribes. More. He and his entire householdA household is a living unit comprised of all the persons who live in one house. A household would embrace all the members of a family, including servants and slaves. In the book of Acts, stories are told of various persons and their households, like… More (women, children, slaves, and livestock) are stoned, burned, and killed as punishment. A heap of stones is raised on the site, which to this day is named “the valley of Achor,” meaning “calamity.”
8. The Destruction of the City of Ai (Joshua 8:1-29)
Again, with the assurance from God that the city is already theirs, Joshua and the entire army (30,000 in number) march against Ai and destroy it as they did Jericho. Strategic planning helps the Israelites succeed in ambushing and capturing the city of Ai. They kill all its inhabitants (12,000 in total). YHWH allows them to take livestock and other booty from the city as spoils of war. Ai is burnt to a mound; the king of Ai is hung; at sundown his body is taken down and thrown down at the city gates. Stones are raised into a heap on his body.
9. Covenant Renewal (Joshua 8:30-35)
The Israelites fulfill Moses’ instructions from Deuteronomy 27 to hold a covenant renewal ceremony at Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim (see also Deuteronomy 11:29-30). The people assemble, Joshua builds an altar of unhewn stones at Shechem, and the priests offer sacrifices. In remembrance of the occasion, Joshua cuts out a copy of the law of Moses in stone and reads it to the Israelites.
10. Treaty with the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:1-27)
Through trickery and deception, the Gibeonites of central Canaan, having heard of Israel’s success in war and fearing them, persuade the Israelites to make a peace treaty with them, so that they and their cities will not be destroyed. They present themselves as having come from afar, showing their dry bread and dusty footwear as evidence. When the Israelites discover the trick, they honor the treaty, but consign the Gibeonites to be “hewers of wood and drawers of water” for the sanctuaryA sanctuary is the consecrated area around the altar of a church or temple. It also means a place of safety where one can flee for protection. In the Old Testament, especially in the Psalms, God is referred to as a sanctuary, a refuge from… More.
11. Continued War with the Peoples of the Land (Joshua 10:1-11:23)
A. The Sun Stands Still as Israel Fights the Amorites (Joshua 10:1-15)
Joshua and his forces are obligated to defend the Gibeonites on account of the treaty. They go to war against those states that now see Gibeon as an enemy for making a treaty with the Israelites. With miraculous intervention by God, the Israelites defeat the five Amorite kings (of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon) who have attacked Gibeon. At Joshua’s request, the sun stands still for a day so that the victory can be accomplished.
B. Five Amorite Kings Killed (Joshua 10:16-27)
The five Amorite kings flee and hide in a cave. Joshua finds them and has large stones rolled over the mouth of the cave, imprisoning them there until their armies are destroyed. The five kings are then brought to Joshua, and they are killed as a symbol of what will happen to all of Israel’s enemies. Their bodies are hung until sundown and then thrown into the same cave where they had hidden themselves and stones are set over the mouth of the cave.
C. Victories for Israel (Joshua 10:28-11:15)
In Joshua 10: 28-40, Joshua and the Israelites capture and destroy many cities in the South – Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Gezer, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir. They leave no survivors as instructed by God. From Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, the whole land of Goshen as far as Gibeon, the highlands, and the arid southern plains are all also struck down.
Word of their victory spreads to the north and the Canaanite kings in the North mobilize a large army (“as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore”) to attack the Israelites but they are defeated and the territory in the North is captured, the cities plundered, and the people wiped out.. In all this, Joshua is obeying the commands of the Lord to Moses (11:15).
D. Summary of Joshua’s Victories (Joshua 11:16-23)
These verses are a summary statement of all the land that Joshua and the Israelites conquer in Canaan just as was promised to Moses. However, the Anakim survived and are confined to the cities of Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. The passage describes the boundaries of Israel at the height of the Davidic kingdom. The summary ends, “And the land had rest from war” (11:23).
E. The Kings Conquered by Moses (Joshua 12:1-6)
These verses list the lands and kings conquered by Moses and the Israelites east of the Jordan River. This land was given as property to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
F. The Kings Conquered by Joshua (Joshua 12:7-24)
These verses list the lands and the 31 kings conquered by Joshua and the Israelites west of the Jordan River.
12. Dividing the Land for an Inheritance (Joshua 13:1-21:45)
The land captured by Israel, both east and west of the Jordan River, is divided and distributed by lots among the twelve tribes of IsraelThe patriarch Jacob fathered twelve sons who became the ancestors the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Divisive political conditions led to a separation of these united tribes into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms after the death of Solomon in 931 B.C.E More according to God’s will.
A. Introduction: The Land Still Unconquered and the Command to Divide the Land (Joshua 13:1-7)
The Lord lists for Joshua the parts of Canaan still unconquered by the Israelites and promises to drive out the inhabitants of those lands. The Lord also commands Joshua to divide the land of Canaan for an inheritance to nine tribes plus one half-tribe of Israel.
B. The Land East of the Jordan Given by Moses to Israelite Tribes (Joshua 13:8-33)
The text lists the lands and cities east of the Jordan River given by Moses to the other two tribes and a half-tribe of Israel: Reuben (15-23), Gad (24-28), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (29-33).
C. The Land West of the Jordan Given by Eleazar and Joshua to Israelite Tribes (Joshua 14:1-19:51)
The land of Canaan, west of the Jordan, is divided by lotNephew of Abraham and Sarah. More and given by Joshua and the priestA priest is a person who has the authority to perform religious rites. In New Testament times priests were responsible for daily offerings and sacrifices in the temple. More Eleazar (son of AaronMoses’ brother and spokesman, and Israel’s first high priest. More) to nine Israelite tribes plus a half-tribe: Judah (15:1-12; the list of Judahite cities 20-63), Ephraim (16:1-10), the other half-tribe of Manasseh (17), BenjaminA son of Jacob and tribe of Israel. More (18:11-28), Simeon (19:1-9), ZebulunThe name of a son of Jacob and one of the tribes of Israel. More (19:10-16), IssacharIssachar was name of a son of Jacob and one of the 12 tribes of Israel. More (19:17-23), AsherThe name of a son of Jacob and tribe of Israel. More (19:24-31), NaphtaliNaphtali was the name of Jacob’s sixth son and one of the 12 tribes. More (19:32-39), and DanA son of Jacob and tribe of Israel. More (19:40-48). Joshua and CalebFaithful leader of Israel alongside Moses and Joshua. More, the only two people still living of the generation that came out of Egypt, are given their own individual allotments of land. Caleb is allotted Hebron (14:6-15); and he gives Kiriath-sepher to his daughter Achsah and Othniel his son-in-law (15:13-19); Joshua is given Timnath-serah in the highlands of Ephraim (19:49-51).
D. The Cities of Refuge (Joshua 20:1-9)
The Lord commands Israel to set aside “cities of refuge,” where a person who has killed someone unintentionally can take refuge from those who would seek revenge. The Israelites designate six cities, strategically located throughout their territory, as cities of refuge.
E. Cities for the Levites (Joshua 21:1-42)
The priestly tribe of LeviSon of Jacob and Leah, brother to Reuben, Simeon, and Dinah. More, is given no land because “the LORD God of Israel is their inheritance” (13:33). The tribe of Levi is allotted 48 towns scattered throughout the territory of the other tribes. These towns include the six cities of refuge.
F. Promises Fulfilled (Joshua 21:43-45)
These verses are a summary statement of the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel concerning the land. It ends, “Not one of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass” (21:45).
13. An Altar Built and a War Prevented (Joshua 22:1-34)
The eastern tribes–Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh–return to their territory after having helped the other tribes conquer Canaan. They build a memorial altar on the western bank of the Jordan River. The other tribes interpret the building of the altar as rebellion against the Lord and threaten war, but the eastern tribes explain that the altar is meant to serve as a witness in generations to come that they, too, worship the same God as the rest of Israel.
14. Joshua’s Exhortation (Joshua 23:1-16)
Joshua has grown old and is about to die. He calls all Israel to him and exhorts them to obey the commands of the book of the law of Moses, so that they might not be enticed by the nations around them to forsake the covenant.
15. Covenant Ceremony (Joshua 24:1-28)
Joshua calls all Israel to him at Shechem, where he asks them to serve the Lord–the God of AbrahamGod promised that Abraham would become the father of a great nation, receive a land, and bring blessing to all nations. More, IsaacSon born to Abraham and Sarah in fulfillment of God’s promise. More, and Jacob–rather than other gods. They reaffirm their allegiance to the Lord, and Joshua makes a covenant with them there, erecting a stone as a memorial of the covenant.
16. Death of Joshua and Death of Eleazar (Joshua 24:29-33)
Joshua dies at 110 years of age and is buried in the land he received as an inheritance. The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites brought out of Egypt, are buried at Shechem. The priest Eleazar, son of Aaron, dies and is buried at Gibeah.
