The Book of Joshua - Word Foundations

The Book of Joshua is significant book in the Bible for some very important reasons. First, it bridges the gap between Israel as a people and Israel as a nation. As a record of historical events, Joshua covers both the conquest of the promised land by the Israelites (chapters 1–12) and the settlement of the land (chapters 13–24). From beginning to end, this suggests a timetable from about 1406 to 1380 BC. Second, even though Joshua is a central character in the book that bears his name, he is not the primary one. Writing in the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary ([Nashville: 2003, 950), Stephen J. Andrews observes that God is the book’s main character. The Lord “fights for Israel and drives out the enemy before them. He is a faithful God who desires a true covenant relationship with His chosen people. God promised the He would give Israel the land that He had pledged to their fathers (Exod. 3:8; Gen. 12:1-3; 15:18-21). The book of Joshua documents how God fulfilled this promise.” Third (as Andrews goes on to say), the book also records Israel’s response to God’s promise-fulfilling actions.

Officially the Book of Joshua is anonymous. Tradition has held that Joshua himself wrote much of the book, and, in fact, within it are two allusions to writing activity either initiated or performed by Joshua (see 18:8; 24:26). If Joshua is the inspired author, probably most of what we know as the sixth book in the Old Testament was written around 1380 BC. However, some Bible scholars believe that Samuel may have written this book, possibly around 1050 BC. The reason for this is that some material seems to highlight occurrences from time beyond Joshua. For example, 15:63 says, “But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. So the Jebsuites live in Jerusalem among the descendants of Judah to this day.” The phrase “to this day” also appears in other places in the book, including 4:9 and 5:9. Certainly Joshua could have written most of the book, with another inspired writer adding elements highlighting events occurring after Joshua’s passing. Also, if Samuel wrote Joshua, it is certain he used sources handed down to him from Joshua’s time. Either way, this record has “God’s fingerprints” all over it!

The Book of Joshua, which provides accurate accounts of real historical events, is a powerful reminder to us that God acted in history, and His actions were revelatory—that is, they revealed truth about God Himself to Israel, and ultimately to the world. In addition, the text of Joshua underscores that God’s actions were not ends in and of themselves, but were and are parts of a larger story. Surely the establishment of Israel as a nation at probably the most strategic location in the world was significant, but God had His eyes set not on world domination, but on dominating people’s hearts through His Holy Spirit, whose coming was made possible by the advent, life, death, and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Joshua, therefore, is a “clip” from the larger “film” of God’s wonderful, unfolding, larger story. For this we can be eternally thankful, for as believers today, we are direct beneficiaries of, and participants in, that grand narrative.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations in this article are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.