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Joshua

Joshua

Summary of the Book of Joshua

By H. A. (Buster) Dobbs
  1. Introduction
    1. Author unknown – perhaps Joshua, or a Levite
    2. The book divides into two main portions
      1. Conquering the land
      2. Settlement of the land
  2. The Conquest of Canaan
    1. Preparation for taking the promised land (1:1 to 5:15)
      1. The land was a gift from God (Gen 15:18; Deut 26:9)
      2. The people had to do something to possess it.
      3. Joshua commissioned to lead the people (1:1-18)
        1. God appointed Joshua as leader of the people (1:1-9)
        2. Joshua commanded the people to enter the land (1:10-11)
        3. Instructions to the Gadites, Ruebenites, and Manasseh (1:12-15)
        4. The people accept Joshua as their leader (1:16-18)
      4. Preparing to take the land God had given them (2:1 to 5:1)
        1. Two spies sent to Jericho (2:1-7)
        2. Agreement with Rahab (2:8-22)
        3. Report of the two spies (2:23-2)
        4. Crossing the Jordan on dry land (3:1-17)
        5. Two memorials consisting of 12 stones each (4:1-24)
        6. Effect of crossing on the Kings of Canaan (5:1)
        7. Circumcision of the males in Israel (5:2-9)
        8. Passover observed (5:10-11)
        9. Manna ceased (5:12)
        10. Captain of the Lord’s host appears to Joshua (5:13-15)
    2. Conquest of Canaan (6:1 to 13:7)
      1. Victory at the battle of Jericho (6:1-27)
      2. Defeat at the first battle of Ai (7:1-5)
      3. The sin and punishment of Achan (7:6-26)
      4. Victory at the second battle of Ai (8:1-35)
      5. Conquest of Southern Canaan (9:1 to 10:43)
        1. King in Southern Canaan join forces to fight Israel (9:1-2)
        2. Gibeonites deceive Israel into making a league with them (9:3-27)
        3. Five Kings of the Amorites threaten war with Gibeon (10:1-5)
        4. Gibeonites call for Israel to help them (10:6-7)
        5. Defeat of the five kings – the sun stood still (10:8-27)
        6. Mopping up operation in Southern Canaan (10:28-43)
      6. Conquest of Northern Canaan (11:1-15)
      7. Summary of the conquest of Canaan (11:16 to 12:24)
      8. Undefeated parts of Canaan (13:1-6)
  3. Division of the Land of Canaan (13:7 to 24:33)
    1. Possession of the land East of Jordan (13:7-33)
      1. Total territory East of Jordan (13:7-14)
      2. Portion divided to Reuben (13:15-23)
      3. Portion divided to Gad (13:24-28)
      4. Portion divided to the half tribe of Manasseh (13:29-33)
    2. Possession West of the Jordan (14:1 to 19:51)
      1. Levites given no land, save cities to live in (14:1-5)
      2. Division to Judah and Caleb (14:6 to 15:63)
      3. Inheritance of Joseph (Manasseh and Ephraim (16:1 to 17:18)
      4. Israel moves to Shiloh and set up the tabernacle (18:1)
      5. Twenty-one men, three from each tribe, describe the land (18:2-9)
      6. Land divided by lot among the remaining seven tribes (18:10 to 19:48)
        1. Inheritance of Benjamin (18:11-28)
        2. Inheritance of Simeon within Judah (19:1-9)
        3. Inheritance of Zebulun (19:10-16)
        4. Inheritance of Issachar (19:17-23)
        5. Inheritance of Asher (19:24-31)
        6. Inheritance of Naphtali (19:32-39)
        7. Inheritance of Dan (19:40-48)
      7. Joshua given his inheritance (19:49-51)
    3. Six cities of refuge (20:1-9)
    4. Levitical cities (21:1-42)
    5. Gad, Ruben, and Manasseh sent to their inheritance (22:1-9)
    6. Two and half tribes build an altar (22:10)
    7. Explanation that the altar was not for sacrifices but for a memorial that those on the East of Jordan were brethren to those on the West of Jordan (22:11-34).
    8. Joshua’s farewell speech to Israel, warning against idolatry (23:1-16)
    9. The covenant at Shechem (24:1-25)
    10. The law written in a book and a memorial stone set up (24:26-28)
    11. Death of Joshua (24:29-31)
    12. Bones of Joseph buried at Shechem (24:32)
    13. Death of Eleazar, the high priest (24:33)
Joshua

Joshua, book of the Old Testament. Authorship was ascribed traditionally to Joshua, the military leader chosen by Moses to be his successor. The oldest passages may date from the 10th century BC. The Book of Joshua concludes the accounts of the early history of the Jews begun in Genesis, Exodus, and Deuteronomy. It begins (chapters 1-6) with an account of the Hebrews' entry into Canaan, the promised land. Chapters 7-12 relate how the Hebrews established themselves there. Much of the latter half of the book (chapters 13-24) describes how Joshua distributed the conquered land among the 12 tribes of Israel. The central theme of the Book of Joshua is that God will lead his people if they observe his law; but if they deny him, he will give them over to raiding nations.
Joshua died around 1390 B.C. and assuming he was the author, the Book of Joshua must have been written shortly before his death.