'Joshua', 'Jehoshuah', or 'Yehoshua' (
Hebrew: 'יְהוֹשֻׁעַ',
Tiberian: ,
Israeli: 'Yəhoshúa'), born in
Egypt, was an
Israelite leader who succeeded
Moses. His story is told in the
Hebrew Bible, chiefly in the books
Exodus, the
Numbers, and
Joshua. He was one of the twelve spies sent on by Moses to explore the land of
Canaan who would later lead the conquest of that land.
Joshua supposedly lived sometime in the late
Bronze Age, around 1200 BCE. However, he is associated with problems concerning the evidence for the
Exodus from Egypt. Various reconstructions of the Biblical data about the Exodus have not yet matched the
archeological evidence. Accordingly, archeologists dispute the historicity of the many details in the Biblical account of the Exodus and often treat it as legendary embellishments of an earlier (still unidentified) event. However, others have taken the account to be legitimate and have based their scholarship on this, including
Richard A. Gabriel who has viewed Biblical narratives from what he calls a "military" perspective, including the
Conquest of Canaan by Joshua. Still others refer to the ancient letters of appeal by
Canaanite leaders to
Egypt seeking assistance against the invasion of the
Hapiru (see
Amarna letters), who some scholars dispute are the
ancient Hebrews.
Joshua in the Bible
According to the Bible, Joshua was the son of
Nun, of the tribe of
Ephraim, which would become known as the most militaristic of the tribes of Israel, largely through Joshua's campaigns. He was born in
Egypt during the Israelite enslavement, and was probably the same age as
Caleb, with whom he is generally associated.
Joshua shared in all the events of
the Exodus. He was Moses' apprentice, and accompanied him part of the way when he ascended
Mount Sinai to receive the
Ten Commandments (
Exd. 32:17). He was also one of the twelve spies who were sent on by Moses to explore the land of
Canaan (
Num. 13:16, 17), and only he and Caleb gave an encouraging report. He was commander at their first battle after exiting Egypt, against the
Amalekites in
Rephidim (Ex. 17:8-16), in which they were victorious.
Joshua was appointed by Moses to succeed him as leader of the Israelites upon Moses' death. He commanded the subsequent conquest of
Canaan. As the Israelites came to the
Jordan River, the waters parted, as they did for Moses at the Red Sea. The first major battle was in
Jericho, a heavily fortified city just five miles west of the Jordan River, northwest of the
Dead Sea which he took by following
God's instruction, ordering his host to march around the city for seven days, whereupon the city walls fell, just as God said they would. The Israelites then slaughtered "every living thing" inside Jericho and completely destroyed the city except for Rahab and her family, who had aided the two spies sent by Joshua to check out the city. Although they had been forbidden by God to take any of the spoils, Achan disobeyed and took some garments and silver, hiding it in his tent. When Israel tried to conquer Ai, a small neighboring city just West of Jericho, they were defeated and 36 Israelite warriors were killed. Achan's sin was exposed, he and his family and his animals were stoned to death, and the favor of God was again restored towards His people. Next, through clever ambush tactics, Joshua defeats
Ai. The Israelites face a Southern alliance of the
Amorite kings of
Jerusalem,
Hebron,
Jarmuth,
Lachish, and
Eglon. At
Gibeon Joshua defeats them by causing the Sun to stand still at Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of
Ajalon, so that he could finish the battle in daylight. Then Joshua faces a northern Canaanite king,
Jabin of
Hazor, who he defeats at the Waters of
Mermon, possibly referring to
Lake Huleh.
Joshua then divides the conquered land among the
tribes of Israel as dictated to him by God. The framing narrative, describing the process by which the land was divided (12:1-6, 13:1-14, 13:21b-22, 13:32-14:3, 15:63, 16:10-17:6, 17:12-18:10, 19:51, and 22:1-9). First a description is given of the domains east of the Jordan which were conquered and given to
Reuben,
Gad, and
Machir (half of Manasseh). After God gives Joshua a gloss concerning the unconquered region, he reminds him about Reuben, Gad, and Machir (half of Manasseh), already having been allocated land by Moses, and about the Levites not being given territory, only cities. The territory is handed out by lot, Judah gaining the first lot, although they fail to drive out the Canaanites living in Jerusalem. Then the house of Joseph gets its territory, Ephraim failing to drive out the Canaanites of Gezer, and it is pointed out that the daughters of Zelophehad, part of the tribe of Manasseh, are also given territory of their own. The house of Joseph is given the mountain region, including the forest, and is told that they will be able to drive out the Canaanites living there despite the presence of iron chariots. The Israelites then assemble at Shiloh, and Joshua sends out a survey team. When the survey is complete, the remaining land is divided amongst the lesser tribes. Finally, the tribes whose lands are east of the Jordan are allowed to go to their lands.
When he was "old and stricken in age" Joshua convened the elders and chiefs of the Israelites and exhorted them to have no fellowship with the native population. At a general assembly of the clans at
Shechem he took leave of the people, admonishing them to be loyal to their God, who had been so mightily manifested in the midst of them. As a witness of their promise to serve God, Joshua set up a great stone under an oak by the sanctuary of God. Soon afterward he died, at the age of 110, and was buried in
Timnath Serah.
In rabbinical literature
In
rabbinic Jewish literature Joshua is regarded as a faithful, humble, deserving, wise man. Biblical verses illustrative of these qualities and of their reward are applied to him. "He that waits on his master shall be honored" (
Pro. xxvii. 18) is construed as a reference to Joshua (
Midrash Numbers Rabbah xii.), as is also the first part of the same verse, "Whoso keepes the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof" (Midrash
Yalk., Josh. 2; ''Numbers Rabbah'' xii. 21). That "honor shall uphold the humble in spirit" (
Pro. xxix. 23) is proved by Joshua's victory over Amalek (''Midrash Numbers Rabbah'' xiii). Not the sons of Moses — as Moses himself had expected — but Joshua was appointed successor to the son of Amram (''Midrash Numbers Rabbah'' xii). Moses was shown how Joshua reproved that
Othniel (''Yalḳ''., Num. 776). Joshua's manliness recommended him for this high post.
David referred to him in
Psalms lxxxvii. 25, though without mentioning the name, lest dissensions should arise between his sons and those of his brothers (Yalḳ., quoting ''
Sifre'').
In later literature
In
the Divine Comedy Joshua's spirit appears to Dante in the Heaven of Mars, where he is grouped with the other "warriors of the faith".
Baroque composer
Georg Frideric Handel composed an
oratorio "
Joshua" in
1747.
Hebrew name
The original Hebrew name Yehoshua often lacks a Hebrew letter Vav () after the Shin (), allowing a misreading of the
vocalization of the name, as if Yehoshea (), and indeed his name was Hoshea before his namechange to Yehoshua by recommendation of Moses (). Nevertheless, the use of a
mater lectionis was an orthographic innovation, and although the use of two Vavs is well attested as (for example, ), traditional orthography tended to avoid the second Vav as too intrusive when spelling Yehoshua. The name Yehoshua` in Hebrew means "Yahweh saves" from the Hebrew root , "to save"
[1]
Joshua's Tomb in Kifl Hares, April 2007
Relation with creationism
Some creationists have used the story of Joshua's command to the sun to stand still as part of purported evidence for
biblical literalism. For example, Joshua's "Long Day" was the focus of some interests by creationists such as
Harry Rimmer.
Yahrtzeit
The annual commemoration of Joshua's
yahrtzeit is marked on the 26th of
Nisan on the
Hebrew calendar. Thousands make the pilgrimage to
Kifl Hares on the preceding night.
References
1. ''The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible - KJV'' James Strong: Revised by John R. Kohlenberger III & James A. Swanson. Hebrew #3091
External links
★ at Wikisource.
★
Israel Period of the Judges
★
Joshua in the Biblical Encyclopedia Tanakh Profiles See also
translations of names.
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