*This page was migrated in July 2022 from my older website, biblicalambiguities.net.

(BA) Joshua
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Joshua comes after Deuteronomy in the Hebrew Bible, and is the first book of what is sometimes called the Deuteronomistic History, where it is followed by Judges, Samuel, and Kings.

Authorship and Historicity
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It is generally accepted in biblical scholarship that the Book of Joshua for the most part does not describe actual historical events, and it is written well after the events it describes. In terms of biblical chronology, it is to be placed in the 15th century or before. When scholars still thought it described an actual historical conquest of Canaan, they tended to date the events in it to the 13th century. Scholars today generally assign its writing to the 7th or 6th century BCE, when it was written by the Deuteronomist(s) as part of a history (Joshua-Judges-Samuel-Kings) that follows Deuteronomy in outlook and phrasing.

Summary
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Joshua is appointed leader of the Israelites (Joshua 1), and sends spies ahead to investigate prior to the looming invasion of Canaan (2). After the story of the spies and Rahab, Joshua and the Israelites cross the Jordan into Canaan (3). The Israelites take twelve stones and make an altar (4). The Israelites are circumcised and celebrate Passover, after which they take Jericho (5, 6). Narratives follow of the sin of Achan (7), the destruction of the Ai (8), and the sparing of the Gibeonites (9). The sun stands still in a battle which ends in the death of five Amorite kings, after which Joshua conquers southern parts of Canaan (10). Joshua then turns his attentions to the north (11), and a list of Canaanite kings defeated by Joshua is provided (12). Yahweh speaks to Joshua about lands still to be conquered, and the Transjordan is allotted to the eastern tribes (13). The western tribes are given their land, and an allotment is given to Caleb as well (14). More detailed accounts of the allotments are given for Judah (15), Ephraim and Manasseh (16, 17). A survey is taken to determine further allotments, and then land is given to Benjamin (18), Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Dan, and Joshua (19). Cities of refuge are assigned (20), and cities for the Levites (21). The Transjordanian tribes are dismissed to settle in their lands (22). Much later, an aged Joshua announces that he will soon die, and turns Israel's eyes to the future (23). Joshua and the people make a covenant with Yahweh, and Joshua dies (24).

Sourcing
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As with other pages migrated from biblicalambiguities.net, this page may contain material paraphrased or even outright copied without direct attribution from the KJV, RV, ASV, JPS (1917), WEB, NHEB, Kittel's BH, the pre-1923 volumes of the ICC series, or the commentaries on Genesis of Dillmann, Skinner, and Driver. More details on this policy can be found here: biblicalambiguities-general-disclaimer and biblicalambiguities-translation-disclaimer.

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