Joshua Graphics
Joshua Time
Exodus from Egypt | Israelites enter Canaan | Judges begin to rule | The Days of The Judges | United kingdom under Saul
| David becomes king | 1446 B.C. (1280 B.C.) | 1406 (1240) | 1375 (1220) | | 1050 (1045) | 1010 |
Vital statistics
Purpose: | To give the history of Israel's conquest of the Promised Land | Author: | Joshua, except for the ending which may have been written by the high priest, Phinehas, an aye witness to the events recounted there. | Original audience: | The people of Israel | Setting: | Canaan. also called the Promised Land, which occupied the same general geographical territory of the modern-day- Israel | Key verse: | "Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you" (1:11) | Key people: | Joshua, Rahab, Achan, Phinehas, Eleazar. | Key places: | Jericho, Ai, Mount Ebal, Mount Gerizim, Gibeon, Gilgal, Shiloh, Shechem. | Special feature: | Out of over a million people, Joshua and Caleb were the only two who left Egypt and entered the Promised Land. |
Comparison of Joshua 23 and 24
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Chapter 23 |
Chapter 24 |
Time Focus |
Future |
Past, Present |
Theme |
Gift of the Land |
Relationship with God |
Danger to Avoid |
Marital entanglement |
Apostasy |
New Geneva study Bible. 1997, c1995 (electronic ed.) (Jos 22.25). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Achan and Adam and Eve
The Sin of Achan |
The Sin of Adam and Eve |
Similar biblical language |
Similar biblical language |
“When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them” (Josh. 7:21, emphasis added). |
“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate” (Gen. 3:6, emphasis added). |
Individual sin with social consequences |
Individual sin with social consequences |
Achan’s sin destroyed him and his family (Josh. 7:24–25) and took a heavy toll on the nation of Israel as a whole (7:11–12). |
Adam’s sin passed from father to son (Cain killed Abel, and so on), thus polluting the whole human race (Gen. 3:14–19; 4:5–8; Rom. 5:12). |
Word in life study Bible . 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (Jos 8.30). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Joshua and Paul
Parallels |
Joshua |
Paul |
Early indications of leadership potential |
• Was selected by Moses to lead a battle (Ex. 17:9).
• Became Moses’ personal assistant (24:13).
• Served as one of the twelve spies (Num. 13:2, 8, “Hoshea”). |
• Studied under the renowned rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), which prepared him to become a Pharisee (Phil. 3:5),
• Was present at the Jewish Council meeting when Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:57–8:1).
• Aggressively tried to stamp out Christianity (8:1–3; 9:1–2). |
Similar call to leadership |
• Called to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land of Canaan (Josh. 1:2). |
• Called to lead the Gentiles into the promise of eternal life in Christ’s family (Acts 9:15; Gal. 2:7–8). |
Extended preparation for leadership |
• Served a long internship under Moses—at least 40 years. |
• Lived under the care of the disciples at Damascus for some three years (Acts 9:19; Gal. 1:15–18).
• Spent 14 years in study before his first tour of preaching (Gal. 1:18–2:2). |
Significant initial conflicts |
• Was unable to convince the other spies and the people to trust God and take the Promised Land (Num. 14:6–10).
• Experienced a resounding victory at Jericho (Josh. 6:20–21), but a crushing defeat at Ai (7:2–5). |
• Nearly killed at Damascus (Acts 9:23–25).
• Initially rejected by the disciples at Jerusalem (9:26).
• Experienced significant disputes with Barnabas and Peter (15:36–41; Gal. 2:11–14). |
Growth through increasing faith and dependence on God |
• Recalled how God had led His people (Josh. 22:1–23:16).
• Challenged new leaders to fear the Lord (24:1–28). |
• Reviewed his life and faith (2 Tim. 3:10–11).
• Challenged Timothy to faithfully follow the path that God had laid out for him (4:6–8). |
Lasting legacy |
• “Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua” (Josh. 24:31). |
• “To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). |
Word in life study Bible . 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (Jos 24.13). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
The Peoples of the Old Testament
Joshua mentioned seven tribes that the Israelites found living in Canaan at the time of the conquest (Josh. 24:11). The table below summarizes who these groups were, as well as some of the other peoples mentioned in the Old Testament.
Name |
Description |
Amalekites
(1 Sam. 15:2–3*) |
A nomadic people descended from Esau, they conducted frequent raids on the Israelites from their hideouts in the Negev and Sinai regions. |
Ammonites
(1 Chr. 19:1–9*) |
Descendants of Lot who lived east of the Jordan near the Jabbok River and often joined Moabites and Edomites in attacking Israel. |
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A nomadic, barbarous people living in Canaan at the time of Abraham. |
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Among the earliest inhabitants of Palestine, known for their large size. |
Arabs |
A name rarely used in the Bible, but including many tribes living throughout the Arabian Peninsula, notably the Ishmaelites and Midianites (see below). |
Arkites |
Descendants of Canaan (Gen. 10:17), they lived in a city of Phoenicia. |
Assyrians
(2 Kin. 17:5–6*) |
A nation of Mesopotamia that dominated the Middle East between the ninth and seventh centuries b. c. and carried off the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity in 722 b. c. |
Babylonians
(2 Chr. 36:6*) |
Successors to the Assyrians who dominated the Middle East in the seventh and sixth centuries b. c. and carried off the southern kingdom of Judah into captivity in 587 b. c. |
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The dominant civilization of Canaan between the twenty-first and sixteenth centuries b. c. , expelled by the Israelites. |
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Descendants of Esau who lived between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba and constantly feuded with the Israelites. |
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The great civilization of Egypt ruled during the early biblical period by pharaohs, and under whom the Israelites lived for 430 years in slavery. |
Girgashites |
Descendants of Canaan frequently listed among Canaanite tribes. |
Hittites |
Descendants of Heth, the son of Canaan, they lived in the Judean hills near Hebron (probably not related to the Hittite empire of Syria). |
Hivites |
Descendants of Canaan, they lived in Lebanon into the time of Solomon, who conscripted them into his labor force (1 Kin. 9:20). |
Horites |
Inhabitants of Edom driven out of by Esau’s descendants (Deut. 2:12, 22). |
Ishmaelites |
Descendants of Abraham by Hagar and thus relatives of the Israelites; believed to be ancestors of the Arabs. |
Jebusites |
Descendants of Canaan and inhabitants of Jebus (Jerusalem), which was captured by David (2 Sam. 5:6–7). |
Kadomites |
An obscure tribe whose land God promised to give to Abraham’s descendants (Gen. 15:19). |
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A group of Edomites to whom the family of Caleb was related (Num. 32:12). |
Kenites |
A group of Midianites who may have operated metalworks southeast of the Gulf of Aqaba and many of whom lived on friendly terms with the Israelites. |
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Five families descended from Abraham through the son of his concubine, Keturah, they lived between the Arabian Desert and the Red Sea coast and frequently attacked the Israelites. |
Perizzites |
An obscure tribe frequently mentioned with the Canaanite tribes, their name may mean “villagers”; seem to have preferred to live among the hills of Canaan. |
Persians |
Successors to the Assyrians and Babylonians, they ruled a massive empire stretching from India in the east to Egypt and Macedonia in the west. |
Philistines
(Judg. 13:1*) |
Israel’s perennial enemies to the southwest along the Mediterranean coast, from whose name the word Palestine is derived. |
Phoenicians
(2 Chr. 9:21*) |
Israel’s seafaring allies during the days of David and Solomon. |
Rephaim |
A group of people living throughout Canaan at the time of Abraham who, like the Anakim, were said to be giants (Deut. 2:20–21). |
Syrians |
The peoples living north of Canaan; area composed of a number of city-states. |
Word in life study Bible . 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (Jos 24.13). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
The Blueprint
A. ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND (1:1-5:12)
- Joshua leads the nation
- Crossing the Jordan
| Joshua demonstrated his faith in God as he took up the challenge to lead the nation. The Israelites reaffirmed their commitment to Gob by obediently setting out across the Jordan River to possess the land. Ass we live the Christian life, we need to cross over from the old life to the new, put off our selfish desires, and press on to possess all God has planned for us. Like Joshua and Israel, we need courageous faith to live the new life. | B. CONQUERING THE PROMISED LAND (5:13-12:24)
- Joshua attacks the center of the land
- Joshua attacks the southern kings
- Joshua attacks the northern kings
- Summary of conquests
| Joshua and his army moved from city to city, cleansing the land of its wickedness by destroying every trace of idol worship. Conflict with evils is inevitable, and we should be as merciless as Israel in destroying sin our lives. | C. DIVIDING THE PROMISED LAND (13:1-24:33)
- The tribes receive their land
- Special cities are set aside
- Eastern tribes return home
- Joshua's farewell to Israel
| Joshua urged the Israelites to continue to follow the Lord and worship him alone. The people had seen God deliver them from many enemies and miraculously provide for all their needs, but they were prone to wander from the Lord. Even though we may have experienced God at work in our lives, we, too, must continually renew our commitment obey him above all other authority and to worship him alone. |
Joshua Overview
Joshua's Preparation for Ministry
1. Ex 17:9, 10, 13-14 | Joshua led the victorious battle against the Amalekites. | 2. Ex 24:13 | Joshua, the servant of Moses, accompanied the Jewish leader to the mountain of God. (32:17) | 3. Nu 11:28 | Joshua was the attendant of Moses from his youth. | 4. Nu 13:16 | Moses changed his name from Hashea ("salvation") to Joshua ("the Lord saves") | 5. Nu 14:6-10, 30, 38 | Joshua, along with Caleb, spied out the land of Canaan with 10 others. Only Joshua and Caleb urged the nation to possess the land and, 12 actually entered Canaan. | 6. Nu 27:18 | Joshua was indwelt by the Holy Spirit. | 7. Nu 27:18-23 | Joshua was commissioned for spiritual service the first time, to assist Moses. | 8. Nu 32:12 | Joshua followed the Lord fully. | 9. De 31:23 | Joshua was commissioned a second time, to replace Moses. | 10/ Dt 34:9 | Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom. |
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