Joshua was the son of Nun. He was Moses’ assistant and successor, and the military leader whom God chose to lead the Israelites in the conquest of Canaan (Numbers 13:16). The name Joshua is sometimes spelled “Jehoshua,” “Jehoshuah” (1 Chronicles 7:27), or “Jeshua” (Nehemiah 8:17).
JOSHUA, THE ASSISTANT
Early in the Hebrew Exodus from 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 L ORD Is My Banner”.
When Moses sent twelve men from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land of Canaan, Joshua represented the tribe of Ephraim (Numbers 13:8). At that time Joshua was called Hoshea, but Moses changed his name to Joshua (13:8, 16). Joshua and Caleb were the only two spies to bring back a positive report about the land (14:6-9) and a belief that the Hebrews could conquer it. Of all the adult Israelite males to leave Egypt in the Exodus, only Joshua and Caleb lived to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land (14:30).
When the Lord announced Moses’ impending death, Moses asked about his successor, and the Lord appointed Joshua to that position (Numbers 27:12-23). After the death of Moses on Mount Nebo, Joshua’s leadership was confirmed (34:17), and the Lord told Joshua to go over the Jordan and take the land (Joshua 1:1-2).
JOSHUA, THE MILITARY LEADER
From the Transjordan camp, Joshua sent two men across the river as scouts to Jericho. In Jericho these two men were concealed by a woman named Rahab and later safely made their way back to Joshua to report that the people of the land were fearful because of the Israelites (Joshua 2:2-4).
When Israel had crossed the river, the Lord instructed Joshua to set up a circle of twelve stones at Gilgal to commemorate this passage (Joshua 4:1-7). The Lord then commanded all of the males who had been born during the Exodus to be circumcised (5:2-9).
While camped at Gilgal, near Jericho, Joshua was confronted by a man with a drawn sword. When Joshua challenged the man, he learned that it was the Lord, who told him to remove his shoes, for the ground was holy (Joshua 5:13-15). The Lord gave Joshua directions for the destruction of Jericho. These were followed explicitly, and the city fell to Joshua’s people. The next attack on the city of Ai ended in temporary defeat, until God revealed sin in one of the members of Joshua’s camp. Finally, Ai was taken and destroyed. After that, Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal, and the blessings and curses were read as commanded by God through Moses (8:30-35).
Later, because the Israelites failed to ask direction from the Lord, Joshua was tricked into making a covenant of peace with the Hivites of Gibeon. Joshua then reduced the Hivites to servitude in Israel (Joshua 9:14-27).
Joshua and his people faced conflicts and witnessed miracles in the process of taking the land. The kings of the various Canaanite cities allied themselves against the Israelite threat (Joshua 9:1-2), and a league of five Amorite cities attacked Gibeon. The Gibeonites appealed to Joshua for help. He responded quickly against this Amorite confederation and 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. This victory was followed by a series of successful attacks on enemy towns (10:1-43).
A northern alliance headed by Jabin, king of Hazor, was the next opposition. The Lord assured Joshua of success, and the city of Hazor was taken and destroyed by fire (Joshua 11:1-15). Joshua 11:23 summarizes the conquest of the land, and Joshua 12 lists the kings who were conquered.
JOSHUA, THE OLD MAN
Joshua was an old man by the time the majority of the land was conquered. At that time the Lord told him that much land remained to be possessed. Even though these unconquered territories are listed, the Lord also gave directions to proceed with the division of the land among the nine and a half tribes still waiting for allotments (Joshua 13:7). Joshua himself was given the city he asked for, Timnath-serah, in the hill country of Ephraim, which he rebuilt and settled (Joshua 19:49-50).
The Lord told Joshua to appoint cities of refuge to which a person guilty of manslaughter could flee to escape the avenger of blood (Joshua 20) which he did. Then the Levites came to Eleazar the priest and Joshua to request that they be given their cities, as the Lord had commanded through Moses (21:1-42).
In his advanced years Joshua summoned all Israel and solemnly charged them to continue in faithfulness to the Lord (Joshua 23). Finally, he called all Israel to Shechem, where he gave them his farewell message. He summed up the Lord’s dealings with them from the time of Abraham and again challenged them to serve the Lord: “Choose today whom you will serve. ... As for me and my family, we will serve the L ORD” (24:15).
Joshua died at the age of 110 and was buried in the land of his inheritance at Timnath-serah (Joshua 24:29-30). Israel served the Lord during all the days of Joshua and the elders who outlived him (24:31; Judges 2:7).
OTHER JOSHUAS IN THE BIBLE
There are several other men named Joshua referred to in the Bible.
1. Joshua was also an inhabitant of Beth-shemesh. It was his grainfield into which the cart carrying the ark of the covenant sent by the Philistines came. It stopped by a large stone which was afterward used to commemorate this event (1 Samuel 6:14, 18).
2. Joshua was also the governor of Jerusalem during King Josiah’s reign (2 Kings 23:8).
3. Joshua was also Jozadak’s son and high priest during the days of Zerubbabel in postexilic Jerusalem (Haggai 1:1-14; Zechariah 3:1-9). Joshua is alternately called Jeshua in Ezra and Nehemiah.
4. Joshua was also Eliezer’s son and an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:29).
What?
What is Joshua most famous for? He led the Hebrews to conquer the land of Canaan.
Where?
Where do we first hear of Joshua? We hear of him when he helped Moses during the Exodus.
Who?
Who was the other faithful spy besides Joshua? Caleb also encouraged the Israelites to be brave and enter Canaan immediately.
When?
When did Joshua become the leader of the Hebrews? He succeeded Moses after Moses’ death.
Why?
Why did Joshua believe the people could conquer the land? He had faith in God’s promise.
How?
How did Joshua rise to prominence as a leader? God selected him as the leader of the nation.
Ai
Amorites
Canaan
Cities of Refuge
Ephraim
Exodus
Gibeon
Gilgal
Jericho
Mount Nebo
Shechem
Transjordan
Faithfulness
Obedience
Miracle
Amalekites
Caleb
Eleazar
Eliezer
Jabin
Jeshua
Josiah
Moses
Philistines
Rahab
Zerubbabel
FUN FACTS
The name Joshua is Hebrew for “Yahweh (God) saves.” The Greek translation for that name is Jesus.