Bible Commentaries
Joshua

THE BOOK OF JOSHUA

XVIII

HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION

1. What is the relation of this book to the Old Testament?

Ans. – (1) On the face of it, it is a sequel to the Pentateuch, whose history it continues without a break, Joshua 1:2.

(2) It is the first book of the series called "The Earlier Prophets," which comprises Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, the whole series being the first part of the grand division called "The Prophets."

(3) Its history underlies all subsequent history of the Jewish people and its most marvelous events are cited as history in the Psalms, Psalms 44:23; Psalms 78:55; Isaiah 28:21; Habakkuk 3:11.

2. What is the testimony of the New Testament to its events as history?

Ans. – Stephen in Acts 7:45; James in James 2:25; Paul in Hebrews 4:8; Hebrews 11:30-31, all cite its most miraculous events as plain history.

3. What, therefore, is its right to a place in the canon of the Old Testament?

Ans. – It has never been disputed by Jew or Gentile.

4. In his very able work on The Bible; Its Structure and Purpose, what remarkable fact is cited by John Urquhart as bearing upon the grouping of the historical books of the Old Testament?

Ans. – That very many of these books of the Old Testament commence with the conjunction "and," the rendering of a small Hebrew letter, which enables us to divide all the historical books into four groups, indicating the most intelligent purpose as to structure.

5. State these four groups and show how the conjunction "and" plays its part in the groupings.

Ans. – (1) Israel outside the Land. Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers all commence with "and" continuing the story of the leading book, Genesis.

(2) Israel in the Land. Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings. Deuteronomy, being prospective or introductory to entering the land, is the leading book with all the others in order, commencing with the conjunction "and" and so continuing the story of the leading book.

(3) Israel returning to the Land after the Babylonian Captivity. 1 and 2 Chronicles and Ezra. Here 1 Chronicles is the leading book, making an entirely new start in history, commencing with Adam, and the other two books commencing with the conjunction "and" carry on the story of the leading book.

(4) Israel that never returned, or the Dispersion. Nehemiah himself, while twice visiting Jerusalem, lived and died a Babylonian Jew at the Persian Court.

Therefore we find that Joshua commences with "and" and that it carries on the story started by Deuteronomy, and "and" will go on until we get to the second book of Kings. This "and," just a stroke, next to the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, determines the structural form of all the historical books of the Old Testament.

6. Who is the author of the book of Joshua?

Ans. – The only direct testimony is in Joshua 24:26, where the writing of the farewell addresses, at least, is expressly ascribed to Joshua. In the making of a final record for a witness, he but follows the example of Moses. No other was so well qualified to describe events in which he, by divine appointment, acted a leading part. Hence, except the account of his own death, as in a similar case of Moses, the Jews and the early Christian fathers ascribed the book to Joshua, from whom in any event the material of the history must have been obtained. The style indicates an eyewitness as the author, and a participant. But what is mainly to the purpose is the fact that not even a historical book could get into the Hebrew canon that was not written by an inspired prophet. And it is recognized by the Prophets and recognized, in that respect, by our Lord as inspired.

7. What objections are urged against Joshua’s authorship?

Ans. – (1) The book tells in Joshua 15 of the capture of Hebron by Caleb, and the capture of Debir by Othniel, Joshua 15:13-20, which it is alleged occurred in the period of Judges, Judges 1:10-15.

(2) The remark that the "Jebusites dwelt with the children of Judah at Jerusalem," Joshua 15:63, when the capture of Jerusalem also occurred in the period of the Judges, Judges 1:8.

(3) The capture of Laish by the warriors of Dan, Joshua 19:47, which event also belongs to the period of the Judges.

8. What is the reply to these objections?

Ans. – There is nothing in any of these three events to prove clearly that they occurred after Joshua’s death. Long before his death he had retired from the position of active leadership to his own estate. He had executed all his commissions and only just before his death reappeared to deliver his farewell address. What is briefly referred to in the book of Joshua is restated and elaborated in the book of Judges, i.e., so far as these three events are concerned. We know that in Joshua’s lifetime he threw upon the tribes the responsibility of completing the conquest of the territory assigned to them, as appears from his reply to the complaints of the sons of Joseph, 17:14-18.

9. What the period of time covered by the book of Joshua?

Ans. – We are told that Joshua was 110 years old when he died, and that he was a young man, perhaps forty years old, at the exodus from Egypt, and as the pilgrimage lasted forty years, there remains a period of about thirty years for the book of Joshua.

10. What the purpose of the book?

Ans. – (1) To show how faithfully Jehovah fulfilled all his promises in putting them in possession of the Promised Land, and in giving victory over all their enemies.

(2) To show Jehovah’s government of the nations, bringing about judgment upon the nations that forget God and become incorrigible in their wickedness.

11. What the great moral problem in this book and how do you solve it?

Ans. – Now I will tell you the problem, the destruction of the Canaanites root and branch, men, women and children, everything that breathes. On that account in every age of the world people, some good people, and some "goody" people have questioned the morals of the book and of the Old Testament, i.e., on account of the cruelty, the awful cruelty of such indiscriminate wholesale slaughter of thirty-odd nations. Now, how do you solve it? I will give some general remarks on the solution. Wm. Paley answers that question. (You may find his book among some of the old-time books presented to the Library.) W. A. Jarrell, in his book on Old Testament Ethics Vindicated, gives his solution of that problem. In the third place, Oehier, the noted German theologian, discusses it; quite a number of the Baptist authorities and the commentaries all discuss it. What is the best explanation of this indiscriminate destruction of many nations, none of them, not even the children left alive, men, women and children? That is a fact. Now the question is about the morality of the fact. Josephus also gives an account of it and he gives his philosophy of it.

The substance of all this is that Israel, God’s chosen people, had a religious mission to fill. They were to bring the Messiah to the world and they had to be a separate people in order to do that. They could not amalgamate with other peoples and keep a pure Jewish blood which was necessary to accomplish the result. Besides this, the cup of their iniquity was full and the day of their execution was at hand. As to the infants, they were a thousand times better off to die in infancy. So it was really an act of mercy to them.

12. Give an account of the life and character of Joshua up to the time that book commences.

Ans. – He appears first in battle with Amalek (Ex. 17); then at Mount Sinai with Moses on the Mount, (Ex. 24) ; next, coming down from the mountain, (Ex. 32) ; next he appears in the story of Eldad and Medad, (Num. II); then we find him sent out by Moses as a spy, (Num. 13) ; his ordination (Num. 27) ; in Deuteronomy 31 we have the record of his charge from Jehovah; in the same chapter we find him called Hoshea and he heard Moses’ song; then in Deuteronomy 34 we have him succeeding Moses. He was of the tribe of Ephraim, held the office of General and was Minister to Moses.

13. Of whom was Joshua a type?

Ans. – Christ. See page 169 for fuller answer.

14. Finally comes the analysis of the book.

Ans. – Now, it is very seldom that I am willing to accept any analysis of a book other than my own, but I have accepted the "Cambridge Bible" analysis. It is fine, only I would like to suggest some improvements. Indeed the whole of the commentary on Joshua is good. When I was a young man, I heard William Carey Crane, President of Baylor University at Independence, preach a funeral oration on the death of Sam Houston. He took an expression in the book of Joshua as his text and his sermon was the comparison of Joshua, the great soldier and statesman, with Sam Houston, the great soldier and statesman, and strange to say that very thing was done when Lord Wellington died and his funeral was preached. The comparison was not only between Wellington and Joshua, but the great English poem is quoted as bearing upon the deep signification of this book.

I will say this much about the character of the man. He had the highest qualifications of a soldier, viz.: to obey orders implicitly. He never turned to the right hand nor to the left hand; what God gave him to do, he never questioned, he just did it. Just exactly what God said do. He, as a general, exacted that kind of obedience from all the soldiers that fought under him. Now, it is remarkable that this man so great in war, when the war was over and he had never lost a battle, when he had conquered thirty-two kingdoms, took nothing for himself and when the land was divided asked only a little, modest place, that the people granted to him, where he might have a little estate with his tribe. That shows that he was without covetousness. His farewell address is always to be studied in connection with the farewell address of Moses, the farewell address of Samuel, the farewell address of Paul to the Elders at Miletus and Washington’s farewell address. What a pity that more of us, when we come to die, cannot look back over the entire life, a well-regulated life, a well-regulated life with no stain on it, no lie spoken, no fraud practiced; uprightness, absolute integrity of conduct.

I asked you a question a while ago which I now answer in part. Joshua was pre-eminently a type of Jesus. The names Jesus and Joshua are the same originally. His name was Hoshea but by putting the Jehovah prefix it means the God of Salvation. He was a type of Jesus. He was commissioned to conquer the Promised Land and to give the people rest in that Promised Land, and so the Captain of our salvation, greater than Joshua, was to conquer a promised land (the whole world) and give rest to the people of God.

ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF JOSHUA

PART I. THE CONQUEST OF CANAAN, Joshua 1-12

Section 1. – The Preparation.
1. The Summons of the War.

(1) The command of God to Joshua 1:1-9.

(2) The command of Joshua to the people, Joshua 1:10-18.

2. The Mission of the Spies to Jericho.

(1) The sending of the spies, Joshua 2:1-7.

(2) Their reception by Rahab, Joshua 2:8-21.

(3) Their return to Joshua, Joshua 2:22-24.

Section II. – The Passage of the Jordan.
1. The Divine Guidance.

(1) The preparation of Joshua, Joshua 3:1-13.

(2) Jordan turned backward, Joshua 3:14-17.

(3) Completion of the passage, Joshua 4:1-18.

(4) The memorial at Gilgal, Joshua 4:19-24.

2. The Consecration of the Holy War.

(1) Renewal of the rite of circumcision, Joshua 5:1-9.

(2) Celebration of the Passover, Joshua 5:10-12.

(3) Appearance of the Prince of Jehovah’s Host, Joshua 5:13-15.

(4) Instruction as to the capture of Jericho, Joshua 6:1-5.

Section III. – The Conquest of Central and Southern Canaan.
1. The Capture of Jericho.

(1) The preparations, Joshua 6:6-14.

(2) The capture and destruction of the city, Joshua 6:15-27.

2. First Advance Against Ai.

(1) The sin of Achan, Joshua 7:1.

(2) The repulse from Ai, Joshua 7:2-5.

(3) Joshua’s prayer, Joshua 7:6-15.

(4) Detection and punishment of Achan, Joshua 7:16-26.

3. Second Advance Against Ai.

(1) Stratagem of Joshua, Joshua 8:1-13.

(2) Capture and destruction of the city, Joshua 8:14-29.

(3) Renewal of the covenant at Ebal, Joshua 8:30-35.

4. The Battle of Beth-horon.

(1) League of the Canaanite kings against Israel, Joshua 9:1-2.

(2) The fraud of the Gibeonites, Joshua 9:3-15.

(3) The league with Gibeon, Joshua 9:16-27.

(4) Investment of Gibeon by the Five Kings, Joshua 10:1-15.

(5) Flight and destruction of the Five Kings, Joshua 10:16-43.

Section IV. – The Conquest of Northern Canaan.
1. The Northern League.

(1) The gathering of the kings, Joshua 11:1-5.

(2) The battle of the waters of Merom, Joshua 11:6-9.

(3) The defeat of Jabin, Joshua 11:10.

(4) Subjugation of the north, Joshua 11:11-23.

2. Review of the Conquest. Catalogue of the Conquered Kings.

(1) Of eastern Palestine, Joshua 12:1-6.

PART 2. THE DIVISION OF CANAAN, Joshua 13-21

Section 1. – The Partition of Eastern Canaan.
1. The Mosaic Settlement.

(1) The divine command to divide the land, Joshua 13:1-7.

(2) Provision for the tribe of Levi, Joshua 13:8-14.

(3) Possessions of the tribe of Reuben, Joshua 13:15-23.

(4) Possessions of the tribe of Gad, Joshua 13:24-28.

(5) Possessions of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua 13:29-33.

2. Commencement of the distribution, Joshua 14:1-5.

3. The possessions of Caleb, Joshua 14:6-15.

Section II. – Division of Western Palestine.
1. Territory of the Tribe of Judah.

(1) Its boundaries, Joshua 15:1-12.

(2) Petition of Achsah, Joshua 15:13-20.

(3) Cities in the south, Joshua 15:21-32.

(4) Cities in the lowlands, Joshua 15:33-47.

(5) Cities in the mountains, Joshua 15:48-60.

(6) Cities in the wilderness, Joshua 15:61-63.

2. Territory of the Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

(1) Boundaries of the territory, Joshua 16:1-4.

(2) Territory of the tribe of Ephraim, Joshua 16:5-10.

(3) Territory of the tribe of Manasseh, Joshua 17:1-13.

(4) Complaint of the sons of Joseph, Joshua 17:14-16.

(5) Reply of Joshua, Joshua 17:17-18.

3. Territory of the Seven Remaining Tribes.

(1) The tabernacle set up at Shiloh, Joshua 18:1-10.

(2) Territory of Benjamin, Joshua 18:11-28.

(3) Territory of Simeon, Joshua 10:1-9.

(4) Territory of the tribe of Zebulun, Joshua 19:10-16.

(5) Territory of the tribe of Issachar, Joshua 19:17-23.

(6) Territory of the tribe of Asher, Joshua 19:24-31.

(7) Territory of the tribe of Naphtali, Joshua 19:32-39.

(8) Territory of the tribe of Dan, Joshua 19:40-48.

(9) Joshua’s possession, Joshua 19:49-51.

Section III. – Appointment of the Cities of Refuge.
1. The Divine Command, Joshua 20:1-3.

(1) Choice of the cities, Joshua 20:4-6.

(2) Three east of the Jordan, Joshua 20:7.

(3) Three west of the Jordan, Joshua 20:8-9.

Section IV. – Appointment of the Priestly and Levitical Cities.
1. The Demand of the Levites, Joshua 21:1-3.

(1) The Compliance, Joshua 21:4-8.

(2) Cities of the Kohathites.

(a) The sons of Aaron, Joshua 21:9-19.

(b) The Other Kohathites, Joshua 21:20-26.

(3) Cities of the Gershonites, Joshua 21:27-33.

(4) Cities of Merarites, Joshua 21:34-42.

(5) Conclusion, Joshua 21:43-45.

PART 3. JOSHUA’S FAREWELL, Joshua 22-24

Section 1. – Release of the Two Tribes and a Half.

1. The Departure.

(1) The exhortation of Joshua Joshua 22:1-8.

(2) Return of the tribes, Joshua 22:9.

2. The disagreement.

(1) Erection of the altar, Joshua 22:10.

(2) Embassy of Israel, Joshua 22:11-20.

(3) The explanation, Joshua 22:21-31.

(4) Return of the embassy, Joshua 22:32-34.

Section II. – The Parting of Joshua.
1. The First Address.

(1) Exhortations to fidelity, Joshua 23:1-11.

(2) Warnings against apostasy, Joshua 23:12-16.

2. The Second Address.

(1) The last counsels, Joshua 24:1-15.

(2) Renewal of the Covenant, Joshua 24:16-28.

(3) Death of Joshua, Joshua 24:29-31.

(4) Burial of the bones of Joseph, Joshua 24:32.

(5) Death of Eleazar, Joshua 24:33.