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Bible Commentaries
F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary Meyer's Commentary
Joshua Commissioned; Israel Prepares for Conquest.Chapter 2
Rahab Hides the Spies in Jericho.Chapter 3
Israel Crosses the Jordan River Miraculously.Chapter 4
Memorial Stones Set Up at Jordan.Chapter 5
Circumcision Renewed; Passover Celebrated; Joshua's Vision.Chapter 6
Jericho's Walls Fall; City Destroyed Completely.Chapter 7
Achan's Sin Causes Israel's Defeat at Ai.Chapter 8
Ai Captured; Covenant Renewed at Mount Ebal.Chapter 9
Gibeonites Deceive Israel; Become Servants.Chapter 10
Sun Stands Still; Israel Defeats Amorite Kings.Chapter 11
Northern Kings Defeated; Land Mostly Conquered.Chapter 13
Unconquered Lands Listed; Inheritance East of Jordan.Chapter 14
Caleb Receives Hebron as His Inheritance.Chapter 15
Judah's Territory and Cities Described.Chapter 17
Manasseh's Territory and Land Distribution Issues.Chapter 18
Tabernacle Set Up; Land Divided by Lot.Chapter 19
Inheritance for the Remaining Tribes Allocated.Chapter 20
Cities of Refuge Appointed for Manslayers.Chapter 21
Cities Given to the Levites Described.Chapter 22
Eastern Tribes Return Home; Build an Altar.Chapter 23
Joshua's Farewell Address to Israel's Leaders.Chapter 24
Covenant Renewed at Shechem; Joshua's Death.
- Joshua
by Frederick Brotherton Meyer
Outline of Joshua
Possessing the Promised Land
I. Entrance to Canaan, Joshua 1-5
1. God’s Charge to Joshua; Spies Sent to Jericho, Joshua 1:1-18 ; Joshua 2:1-24
2. The Jordan Crossed; Memorial Stones ; Circumcision and the Passover, Joshua 3:1-17 ; Joshua 4:1-24 ; Joshua 5:1-15
II. The Conquest of Canaan, Joshua 6-12
1. The Fall of Jericho , Joshua 6:1-27
2. Achan and Ai, Joshua 7:1-26 ; Joshua 8:1-29
3. Confirmation of the Covenant at Ebal and Gerizim, Joshua 8:30-35 ; Joshua 9:1-27
4. The Southern and Northern Campaigns, Joshua 10:1-43 ; Joshua 11:1-23
5. Summary of the Conquest , Joshua 12:1-24
III. The Distribution and Partition of Canaan, Joshua 13-21
1. The Borders of the Tribes beyond the Jordan , Joshua 13:1-33
2. The Land Allotted to the Other Tribes, Joshua 14-19
3. The Cities of Refuge , Joshua 20:1-9
4. Cities for the Levites, Joshua 21:1-45
IV. Settlement and Establishment, Joshua 22-24
1. The Two and a Half Tribes’ Return beyond Jordan; the Altar of Witness , Joshua 22:1-34
2. Joshua’s Farewell Address , Joshua 23:1-16 ; Joshua 24:1-15
3. The Covenant Renewed at Shechem; Joshua’s Death , Joshua 24:16-33
Introduction
Though there are evident traces of the hand of an editing scribe, probably Ezra, there are many indications that the substance of this book was written while the events were still recent. There is therefore no good reason for doubting that the book in its original form was written by Joshua, as Jewish tradition alleges.
This book is to the Old Testament what the Acts of the Apostles is to the New. The name “Joshua” is equivalent to Jesus, and means “he shall save,” Hebrews 4:8 . The Jericho of the early Church was Jerusalem, which they compassed through ten days of prayer as Israel compassed Jericho in seven days of marching. At Pentecost the walls of prejudice fell flat. Ananias and Sapphira were the Achan of the first days. The victories of the Church at Samaria, Antioch and elsewhere recall the conquests of Joshua. And the failure of the Church to go forward to the conquest of the nations finds a bitter parallel in the story of Israel’s apathy toward driving out the Canaanites.
e-Sword Note: The following material was presented at the end of Joshua in the printed edition
Review Questions on Joshua
Outline
( a ) How does this book naturally divide into four parts?
( b ) What were the principal events connected with the entrance into Canaan?
( c ) What victories and what defeat marked the conquest of the land?
( d ) Which tribes were located east of the Jordan and which in the Promised Land itself?
Introduction
( e ) What New Testament book resembles Joshua and how?
Joshua 1-24
Each question applies to the paragraph of corresponding number in the Comments .
1. How was Joshua encouraged and counseled in preparation for his great task?
2. What steps did he take to unite all the tribes for the campaign before them?
3. How did the two spies find an ally in the enemy’s city?
4. How did Rahab show her trust in the true God?
5. How did God make a path for His people into the land he had promised them?
6. What provision was made for preserving a memorial of the crossing of the Jordan?
7. What was the purpose of the renewed observance of circumcision and the Passover?
8. From whom and how did Joshua receive instructions for his first attack?
9. How was Jericho captured and why was it destroyed?
10. How was Rahab’s faith rewarded?
11. How did greed check the onward march?
12. How was the sin brought to light and dealt with?
13. How was Ai attacked a second time?
14. How was defeat now turned into victory?
15. How were the conquerors now reminded that they themselves must obey God’s laws?
16. How was Joshua deceived by the Gibeonites?
17. What place did they henceforth fill in Israel?
18. How was Joshua aided in conquering the kings of the South?
19. Why were all these Canaanites destroyed?
20. How did Joshua carry out Jehovah’s sentence against the kings of the North?
21. What yet remained undone when Joshua had become old?
22. What courageous request did Caleb make?
23. Who won Caleb’s daughter and what wedding-gifts did her father give with her?
24. How did the descendants of Joseph get sufficient land?
25. How was the remaining territory distributed?
26. What was the purpose of the Cities of Refuge?
27. How were the Levites provided with homes?
28. What cause of misunderstanding arose between the tribes east of the Jordan and the other tribes?
29. How did the altar become a witness to the fact that all the tribes served Jehovah, the one true God?
30. What was Joshua’s great desire, as expressed in his farewell address?
31. What great lesson did he draw from Israel’s national history?
32. How did he bind them to loyalty to their God?
