Joshua (Person)

The son of Nun. He was Moses’s assistant and successor. He was also a military leader. God chose him to lead the Israelite's conquest of Canaan (Numbers 13:16, “Jehoshua” in the King James Version; also spelled “Jehoshuah” in 1 Chronicles 7:27 and “Jeshua” in Nehemiah 8:17).

Early in the exodus (when the Israelites left Egypt), Joshua was sent by Moses to fight against the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8–15). Joshua defeated Amalek, and Moses wrote of the event and built an altar that he called “The LORD Is My Banner” (Exodus 17:15).

Joshua was one of the 12 men Moses sent from Kadesh-barnea to look at Canaan. He represented the tribe of Ephraim (Numbers 13:8). At that time, Joshua was called Hoshea, but Moses changed his name to Joshua (Numbers 13:8, 16). Joshua and Caleb were the only two spies to bring back a positive report concerning an Israelite invasion of the land (Joshua 14:6–9). These two men were also the only adult Israelite males who left Egypt and later entered the promised land across the Jordan River (Numbers 14:30).

The Lord told Moses he would soon die. Moses then asked about who would lead after him. The Lord chose Joshua to be the new leader (Numbers 27:12–23). After Moses died on Mount Nebo, Joshua’s leadership was confirmed (Numbers 34:17). The Lord then told Joshua to cross the Jordan and take the land (Joshua 1:1–2).

From the Transjordan, Joshua sent two men across the river to explore Jericho (Joshua 2). Rahab hid them in Jericho, and later, they returned safely to Joshua to inform him that the people of the land were fearful because of the Israelites (Joshua 2:23–24).

After crossing the river, the Lord told Joshua to set up a circle of 12 stones at Gilgal to mark the event (Joshua 4:1–7). The Lord then commanded all of the males who had been born during the exodus to be circumcised (Joshua 5:2–9).

While camped at Gilgal, near Jericho, Joshua encountered a man with a drawn sword. The man was the Lord. When Joshua challenged him, the Lord said to remove his shoes, for the ground was holy (Joshua 5:13–15). The Lord gave Joshua directions for the destruction of Jericho. Joshua and the Israelites followed God's directions and the city fell (Joshua 6). The attack on Ai ended in temporary defeat until the matter of Achan’s sin was discovered and judged (Joshua 7:10–26). Then Ai was taken and destroyed.

Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal (Joshua 8:30–32). The blessings and curses were read, as commanded by God through Moses (Joshua 8:33–35; compare Deuteronomy 27–28).

Because the Israelites failed to ask for direction from the Lord, Joshua was tricked into making a covenant of peace with the Hivites of Gibeon (Joshua 9:14). Joshua then reduced them to doing trivial tasks in Israel (Joshua 9:21–27).

The kings of the various Canaanite cities allied themselves against the Israelite threat (Joshua 9:1–2). A league of five Amorite cities (Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon) attacked Gibeon (Joshua 10:1–5). The Gibeonites asked Joshua for help. He quickly routed the Amorite forces. It was on this occasion that Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stand still so that Israel could have more time to defeat these adversaries (Joshua 10:12–14). This victory was followed by a series of successful attacks on enemy towns (Joshua 10:28–43).

Next, Joshua faced a group of enemies from the north. This group was led by Jabin, the king of Hazor(Joshua 11:1–5). The Lord told Joshua he would succeed, and the city of Hazor was taken and destroyed by fire (Joshua 11:6–15). Joshua 11:23 summarizes the land's conquest. Chapter 12 lists the kings who were conquered.

Joshua was now old, and the Lord told him that there was still much land to take. These territories are listed, but the Lord told Joshua to divide the land among the nine and a half tribes (Joshua 13:7; compare Joshua 13:8–18:28). Joshua himself was given the city he asked for, Timnath-serah, in the hill country of Ephraim. He rebuilt that city and settled there (Joshua 19:49–50).

The Lord told Joshua to choose cities of refuge. A person guilty of manslaughter (killing someone accidentally) could flee there to escape the avenger of blood (Joshua 20). Then the Levites came to Eleazar, the priest, and Joshua. They requested their cities, as the Lord had commanded through Moses (Joshua 21:1–42).

When he was old, Joshua summoned all of Israel. He charged them to be faithful to the Lord (Joshua 23). Finally, he called all of Israel to Shechem, where he gave them his farewell message. He summed up the Lord's dealings with them since Abraham. Then, he challenged them to serve the Lord. He put before them the well-known choice: "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!” (Joshua 24:15).

Joshua died at the age of 110 years and was buried in the land of his inheritance at Timnath-serah (Joshua 24:29–30; another account in Judges 2:8–9 reads “Timnath-heres”). Israel served the Lord during all the days of Joshua and the elders who outlived him (Joshua 24:31; Judges 2:7).

An inhabitant of Beth-shemesh. The Philistines sent the cart carrying the ark into his grainfield. It stopped by a large stone, which was used to mark the event (1 Samuel 6:14, 18).

The governor of Jerusalem during King Josiah’s reign (2 Kings 23:8).

Jozadak’s son and high priest during the days of Zerubbabel in Jerusalem after the exile in Babylon (Haggai 1:1–14; 2:2–4; Zechariah 3:1–9; 6:11; “Jeshua” in the New Living Translation). Joshua is also called Jeshua in Ezra and Nehemiah.

Eliezer’s son and an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:29).