Joshua

Read this book by chapter and explore its background.

Purpose To recount Israel’s conquest of the promised land
Author Unknown
Date Records events that likely occurred in either 1406–1376 BC or 1230–1200 BC
Setting Begins with the Israelites about to cross the Jordan and ends with their new land having been distributed among the tribes

Overview Article

The account of Israel’s soldiers walking around Jericho until its walls came tumbling down is one of the most famous in the Bible. Joshua had served as Moses’ apprentice, so when God appointed Joshua as Israel’s leader, he was ready. He led the Israelites across the Jordan River and through two campaigns that enabled them to settle the hill country of Canaan. As they began to live there, Joshua divided the land among Israel’s twelve tribes. The book of Joshua reveals much about God: He judges sin and faithfully keeps his promises.

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Key People, Places, and Terms

Themes

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Fearing People 2 God promised to be with his people when they encountered opposition (see, for example, Deuteronomy 20:1–4 ; Joshua 1:9 ). As long as they remained committed to him, they had no reason to fear others. Israel's history... God as Holy Warrior 2 The Arabic term jihad, now familiar in English, refers to a "holy war" where men fight for God. Yet, the Bible describes a "holy war" differently. In the Bible, a holy war is a conflict where God fights for his people... God’s Faithfulness to His People 2 God made a special agreement (called a covenant) with the people of Israel. It included blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (see Deuteronomy 28:1–68 ). Many years later, after King Solomon dedicated th... Holy War 2 The Israelites’ total destruction of their enemies raises difficult questions about right and wrong. What reasons made Israel invade, conquer, and destroy Canaan and its people? From a human perspective, Israel's aggr... Intermarriage and Divorce 2 God had warned his people not to marry foreigners ( Deuteronomy 7:1–6 ). The problem was not marrying someone from another country or race. The issue was marrying people who followed other gods. Moses himself married... Nehemiah’s Confidence in God 2 God gave the prophet Nehemiah favor with a powerful Persian king. The king agreed to all of Nehemiah's requests ( Nehemiah 1:11 ; 2:8 , 18 ). Nehemiah then confidently shared his bold plan to rebuild Jerusalem's walls... The Broken Covenant 2 After God rescued the Israelites from Egypt, he made a special agreement (called a covenant) with them (see Exodus 20–24 ). In this covenant, God gave them the Ten Commandments and other laws. The people promised to f... The Collapse of Culture 2 Impressive cultures with creative and skilled people sometimes come to an end suddenly and completely. When digging, archaeologists often find a layer of ash between layers of impressive artifacts. The ash shows the c... Circumcision 2 Many ancient cultures practiced circumcision, the removal of the male foreskin (see Jeremiah 9:25–26 ). God chose circumcision as a sign of a covenant (special agreement) that focuses on descendants. God promised to m... Circumcision in the New Testament 2 Circumcision, which is the removal of the male foreskin, was common in the ancient Near East (see Jeremiah 9:25–26 ). For Jews, it held religious importance as a sign of the covenant (special agreement) God made with... Hardened Hearts 2 The book of Exodus often mentions that the Lord caused Pharaoh to act stubborn or "hardened Pharaoh's heart" ( Exodus 4:21 ; 9:12 ; 10:1 , 20 ; 11:10 ; 14:4 , 8 ). These statements can be difficult. Did God make Phara... Inheriting the Land 1 Is the physical world bad? Are spirit, soul, and energy the pure good we seek on our life journey? Will we only be truly spiritual and happy when we are free from our earthly bodies? The Bible answers these and simila... Altars 1 Noah built the first altar mentioned in the Bible ( Genesis 8:20–21 ). Cain and Abel also gave offerings to God ( Genesis 4:3–5 ). The patriarchs built many altars (see Genesis 12:7–8 ; 13:4 , 18 ; 22:9 ; 26:25 ; 33:2... Bread from Heaven 1 When the Israelites left Egypt and entered the wilderness, God provided manna. Manna was a substance like bread that God gave them to eat ( Exodus 16 ). The LORD gave them enough food for their daily needs (see Nehemi...

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Outline

Use of Joshua in the New Testament

Quoted 1 times across 1 New Testament books

Total quotations 1
Connected books 1
Most-connected book Hebrews 1

All References

Joshua bookOverview.connections.ntReference Compare
Joshua 1:5 Hebrews 13:5
Compare
OT Text
  • No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
NT Text
  • Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you