Joshua
Moses’ attendant and successor, of the tribe of Ephraim. In the book that bears his name he leads Israel across the Jordan, takes Jericho, divides the land among the tribes and renews the covenant at Shechem.
Joshua son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, was first called Hoshea; Moses gave him the name Joshua (Numbers 13:8) (Numbers 13:16). He commanded the fighting men against Amalek soon after the exodus (Exodus 17:8–14) and served as Moses’ attendant at Sinai (Exodus 24:13) (Exodus 33:11). Of the twelve scouts sent into Canaan, only he and Caleb urged the people to go in, and only they of that generation lived to enter the land (Numbers 14:6–9) (Numbers 14:30). Moses laid hands on him and named him as his successor (Numbers 27:18–23) (Deuteronomy 34:9).
The book of Joshua tells how he led the crossing of the Jordan and the capture of Jericho (Joshua 3:14–17) (Joshua 6:20), gave the land to the tribes (Joshua 11:23) and gathered them at Shechem to renew the covenant (Joshua 24:1–28). He died aged 110 and was buried at Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim (Joshua 24:29–30). The Bible does not say how long he led Israel; Josephus, writing in the first century AD, gives twenty-five years (Josephus, Antiquities 5.117). The letter to the Hebrews argues that the rest into which Joshua led Israel was not the final one (Hebrews 4:8).
In the timeline
- c. 1445–1406 or c. 1259–1220 BC, traditional dateForty Years in the Wilderness
At Kadesh-barnea the Israelites refuse to enter Canaan after their scouts report on it, and are sentenced to wander until that generation has died. Forty years after leaving Egypt their children camp opposite Jericho.
- c. 1406 or c. 1220 BC, traditional dateThe Farewell and Death of Moses
In the plains of Moab Moses renews the covenant with the generation born in the wilderness, writes down the law and hands the leadership to Joshua. He sees the promised land from Mount Nebo and dies there without entering it.
- c. 1406 or c. 1220 BC, traditional dateCrossing the Jordan and the Fall of Jericho
The book of Joshua tells how Israel crosses the Jordan on dry ground, camps at Gilgal and keeps its first Passover in Canaan. Jericho’s wall falls after a seven-day procession around the city, and Rahab, who had sheltered Joshua’s spies, is spared.
- c. 1380 or c. 1195 BC, traditional dateCovenant Renewal at Shechem
Near the end of his life Joshua gathers the tribes at Shechem, recounts their history from Abraham to the conquest and calls on them to choose whom they will serve. The people pledge themselves, and he sets up a stone as witness.