Joshua

Brief Summary

·         Spies are helped in Jericho by the harlot Rahab. She is spared by being told to hang a scarlet chord from her window.

·         Crossing of the Jordan with the ark – it stops flowing to allow them to pass.

·         Twelve-stoned shrines are erected in the middle of the Jordan, and at Gilgal.

·         Israelites are circumcised at Gilgal (as they have not been during the wilderness years). Passover celebrated at Gilgal.

·         Joshua meets a Commander of the Lord, who tells Joshua to remove his sandals because he walks on holy earth.

·         Israelites march silently round Jericho for six days, then on the seventh, the walls fall when trumpets are blown.

·         Israelites are defeated at Ai because Achan takes ‘accursed things’. He is stoned and burnt, along with his children.

·         Ai is taken, and the king of Ai hung from a tree.

·         Blessings are read from Mount Gerizim, and curses from Mount Ebal.

·         Gibeonites pretend they have come from a long way, and make a covenant with the Israelites. When Joshua discovers the deception, he cannot destroy them because of the covenant, so he enslaves them.

·         Joshua defeats the southern Canaanite kings. The sun stands still during a battle.

·         Joshua defeats the northern Canaanite kings.

·         Canaan is allocated to the Israelite tribes. Jesbusites remain in Jerusalem.

·         Cities of refuge, levite cities and Levite suburbs (‘common lands’) are created.

·         Passing anxiety about a transjordan altar is expressed.

·         Joshua renews covenant at Shechem. Consequences of disobedience are made plain.

1

God tells Joshua to cross the Jordan. Command to be of courage, and immerse himself in the law. Joshua reminds the eastern tribes of their military obligations. They pledge him their allegiance.


2

Joshua sends two spies to Jericho. They go to the house of a harlot called Rahab. The king of Jericho gets wind of this, but Rahab says the men have left – in actual fact, they were hiding in the flax on her roof. Rahab tells the spies what fear there is of the Israelites, and begs that she and her family may be saved on account of the favour she has performed. The spies assure her she will be. Rahab (who lives on the walls) lets the spies down and tells them to hide in the mountains for three days. The spies tell her to hang a scarlet chord to her window and keep her family within – this will keep them safe. The spies are not answerable for anybody’s safety if they leave her house. The spies return to Joshua.


3

The people instructed to follow the ark at a distance. The ark leads the way. God tells Joshua that when the feet of the Levites carrying the ark step into the waters of Jordan, its flow will be stopped. It is indeed the case – all Israel cross over as the priests stood firm.


4

On the orders of God, Joshua commands one man from each tribe to take a stone from where the priests stood, and take it with him to his lodging. Joshua then erects twelve stones himself in the middle of the Jordan, where the priests stood. 40,000 prepared for war cross over to the plains of Jericho; when the priests step out of the river, the flow of water resumes. Joshua sets up the twelves stones at Gilgal, east of Jericho, as a memorial.


5

The Amorites and Canaanites to the west of Jericho become fearful. The Israelites born in the wilderness have not been circumcised. They now are at Gilgal. Passover celebrated at Gilgal; provision of manna then stops, as the Israelites can eat the food of the land of Canaan. By Jericho, Joshua meets a military man who describes himself at the Commander of the Lord (angel? type of Christ?). Joshua worships him. He tells Joshua to remove his sandals, for he steps on holy earth.


6

Jericho shut up in defence. Lord tells Joshua that the army shall march silently round the walls for six days, led by seven priests carrying the ark and blowing trumpets; on the seventh day, the seven priests shall blow seven trumpets, and everyone will shout, and the walls will fall. The plan effected, and Jericho is utterly destroyed – only Rahab is spared. Gold and silver is taken, but nothing else. Joshua curses the man who would re-fortify Jericho.


7

Against the Lord’s orders, Achan takes some accursed things (which should have been utterly destroyed). Joshua sends spies up to Ai. They advise that two or three thousand alone can take it. In fact, Ai defeats the Israelites, and their courage fails. The Lord reveals the defeat is because someone has taken accursed things. The accursed things must be destroyed, and the guilty burnt to death. Achan confesses – he took a beautiful Babylonian garment, a wedge of gold, and some silver. Achan and his children are stoned and burnt. The Lord turns from the fierceness of his anger.


8

God commands Joshua to take city of Ai. Joshua leads Israel to capture, ambush and conquer Ai; 30,000 lead the ambush, destroying Ai by fire when its warriors are busy pursuing the Israelite army as they make an apparent retreat. The king of Ai is hanged on a tree until evening. Joshua builds an altar on Mount Ebal. Blessings are read from Mount Gerizim, and curses from Mount Ebal.


9

Kings west of Jordan join together to fight Israel. Gibeonites dress shabbily with torn wineskins and mouldy provisions, as if they have come a long way, and seek a covenant with Joshua. Joshua does so, without seeking the counsel of the Lord. When the deception is uncovered, they are compelled to let the Gibeonites live, because of the oath they made. Instead, Joshua makes them slaves to the Israelites.


10

Joshua comes from the camp at Gilgal to leads Israel against the forces of the southern kings of Jerusalem, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, Debir and others, when they attack Gibeon for its covenant with Israel. The Lord fights with the Israelites at Gibeon and kills the enemy with hailstones. The sun miraculously stands still during the battle. The five kings hide in a cave, then trapped by a large stone. When the kings are captured, Joshua commands his officers to place their feet on the kings’ necks. The kings are then killed, and hung from trees until evening. Their territories fall soon after.


11

Jabin king of Hazor with many kingdoms in the north fight against Israel; Joshua leads Israel in destroying these kingdoms, hamstringing the horses and burning the chariots. Victory is thus complete over both north and south Canaan.


12

List of kingdoms which Israel defeated: first, many on east side of Jordan River (starting with lands of Sihon and Og), then 31 kings on the west side in the promised land.


13

Joshua is old, but God tells him there is much land that remains to be conquered. The land will divided by lot among the tribes. The eastern territories for Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh are defined. Levi inherits no land, for the Lord is their inheritance.


14

Land of Canaan distributed to tribes of Israel. Caleb and the children of Judah request and receive from Joshua the mountain of Hebron – the mountain he passed over to spy on Canaan in Numbers 13.


15

Land allocation of tribe of Judah is defined. The Jebusites remain in Jerusalem, however. Caleb gives his daughter to Othniel. Caleb gives extra land to his daughter.


16

Land allocation of children of Joseph is defined separately for Manasseh and Ephraim. The Canaanites in Gezar remain the servants of Ephraim.


17

Ephraim’s and Manasseh’s territory defined and expanded. They complain there is not enough land for them, so Joshua tells them to take the some mountain territory which had not been completely conquered. The daughters of Zelophehad (who had no male heirs) are given land. Israel forces some Canaanites to work rather than drive them from the land.


18

Israel assembles at Shiloh and sets up the tabernacle. Seven tribes have no inheritance, so the remaining land is divided by lot. Benjamin’s land is defined.


19

Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and Dan are allocated land. Dan’s territory expands after conquering Leshem. Joshua himself is given an inheritance – Timnath Serah in the mountains of Ephraim, where he builds a city. The land division is complete.


20

Kadesh, Shechem, Kirjatharba, Bezer, Ramoth and Golan are appointed as cities of refuge for manslayers who accidentally kill people.


21

Levites given 48 cities and their common lands from other tribes as inheritance. God give Israel all the things He promised; no enemies stand before Israel.


22

Reuben, Gad and half Manasseh return to the east side of Jordan with Joshua’s blessing. The tribes build a great altar by the Jordon. Anxiety is expressed that the altar is pagan, and accusations are made by Phinehas the high priest, but the tribes reply that the altar allows them to worship God despite their separation from the rest of Israel. The rest of Israel is satisfied.


23

Israel rests for a long time. Joshua becomes old, and speaks to the leaders of Israel about following God and the loss of land that will follow from disobedience and intermarriage with the indigenous peoples.

24

Joshua gathers all tribes at Shechem. The story of the journey from Egypt to the promised land is given (with the giving of the law at Sinai omitted – see von Rad). The consequences of disobedience are again emphasised, but Israel is insistent that it will obey God. The covenant is renewed, and its words commemorated on stone. Joshua and Eleazar die. Joseph’s bones are buried at Shechem.