Joshua: Difference between revisions
Doug Weller (talk | contribs) the statement about 'liberal' scholars & "Israel did not completely conquer Canaan during Joshua's time" is wrong - ignores the issue as to whether 'Israel' ever 'conquered Canaan' |
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He was one of the [[The Twelve Spies|twelve spies]] of Israel sent by Moses to explore the land of [[Canaan]]. ({{bibleverse||Numbers|13:1-16|HE}}) After the death of Moses, he led the Israelite tribes in the conquest of Canaan, and allocated the land to the tribes. The years in which these events took place is subject to academic dispute. According to conventional [[chronology of the Bible|Bible chronology]], Joshua lived between 1450–1370 BC, or sometime in the late [[Bronze Age]]. According to {{bibleverse||Joshua|24:29|NIV}}, Joshua died at the age of 110. |
He was one of the [[The Twelve Spies|twelve spies]] of Israel sent by Moses to explore the land of [[Canaan]]. ({{bibleverse||Numbers|13:1-16|HE}}) After the death of Moses, he led the Israelite tribes in the conquest of Canaan, and allocated the land to the tribes. The years in which these events took place is subject to academic dispute. According to conventional [[chronology of the Bible|Bible chronology]], Joshua lived between 1450–1370 BC, or sometime in the late [[Bronze Age]]. According to {{bibleverse||Joshua|24:29|NIV}}, Joshua died at the age of 110. |
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Joshua also holds a position of respect to Muslims; Despite not being canonized, he is considered by some to be the [[patron saint]] of [[spy|spies]] and intelligence professionals.{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}} |
Joshua also holds a position of respect to Muslims; the [[Shia Islam|Shi'ah]] believe he was an [[Imamate|Imam]]. Despite not being canonized, he is considered by some to be the [[patron saint]] of [[spy|spies]] and intelligence professionals.{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}} |
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==Name== |
==Name== |
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The English name Joshua is a rendering of the {{lang-he|יהושע}} "Yehoshua |
The English name Joshua is a rendering of the {{lang-he|יהושע}}, "Yehoshua", meaning "[[Yahweh]] is salvation", from the Hebrew root {{hebrew|ישע}}, "salvation", "to deliver/be liberated", or "to be victorious".<ref>''A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament'' Francis Brown, with S.R. Driver and C.A. Briggs, based on the lexicon of William Gesenius. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 221 & 446</ref><ref>[http://www.studylight.org/dic/fbd/view.cgi?number=T2115 Fausset's Bible Dictionary]</ref> The [[nikud|vocalization]] of the second name component may be read as Hoshea ({{hebrew|הוֹשֵׁעַ}}) - the name used in the Torah before Moses added the divine name ({{bibleverse||Numbers|13:16|HE}}).<ref>Joshua, ''New Bible Dictionary'', second edition. 1987. Douglas JD, Hillyer N, eds., Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL, USA ISBN 0842346678</ref> |
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"[[Jesus (name)|Jesus]]" is the English of the Greek transliteration of "Yehoshua". In the [[Septuagint]], all instances of "Yehoshua" are rendered as "Ἰησοῦς" (Iēsoūs/Jesus), the closest Greek pronunciation of the |
"[[Jesus (name)|Jesus]]" is the English of the Greek transliteration of "Yehoshua" via Aramaic. In the [[Septuagint]], all instances of "Yehoshua" are rendered as "Ἰησοῦς" (Iēsoūs/Jesus), the closest Greek pronunciation of the Aramaic {{hebrew|ישוע}}, "Yeshua" ({{StrongHebrew|3443}}).<ref>cf [http://bibledatabase.net/html/septuagint/04_013.htm Numbers 13:16 LXX] καὶ ὲπωνὸμασεν Μωυσῆς τὸν Αὐσῆ υἱὸν Ναυῆ ''Ἰησοῦν'' (and Moses named Hosea, son of Nun, ''Jesus'')</ref><ref>[http://bibledatabase.net/html/septuagint/38_003.htm The High Priest Jesus in Zechariah 3 LXX]</ref> |
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==Conquest of Canaan==<!-- [[Conquest of Canaan]] redirects here --> |
==Conquest of Canaan==<!-- [[Conquest of Canaan]] redirects here --> |
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== Historicity == |
== Historicity == |
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{{Main|Book of Joshua#Historicity|l1=Historicity of the Book of Joshua}} |
{{Main|Book of Joshua#Historicity|l1=Historicity of the Book of Joshua}} |
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Some [[literary critic]]s,{{Who|date=September 2010}} following the [[documentary hypothesis]], have stated that archaeological evidence does not show that Israel completely conquered Canaan during Joshua's time; [[apologist]] scholars have stated that the [[Book of Joshua]] explicitly says that Canaan was not completely conquered during Joshua's time.<ref>''Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From?'' [[William G. Dever]], Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2006</ref><ref>[http://books.google.ca/books?id=LtD4Xomh4XgC&pg=PA45 The biblical world, Volume 2], [[John Barton (theologian)|John Barton]], 45</ref><ref>[http://books.google.ca/books?id=39nQafdJ_ssC&pg=PA96 How to read the Bible], [[Marc Zvi Brettler]], pp. 95-99</ref><ref name="Killebrew">[http://books.google.ca/books?id=VtAmmwapfVAC&pg=PA153 Biblical peoples and ethnicity: an archaeological study of Egyptians], [http://dor.huji.ac.il/Ann.html Ann E. Killebrew], pp. 152-154</ref><ref>The Oxford guide to people and places of the Bible, [[Bruce M. Metzger]], [[Michael Coogan]], [[P. Kyle McCarter]], p. 39</ref><ref name=Hess> "Joshua, an Introduction and Commentary, by Richard Hess, Inter-Varsity press (1996)</ref> Thus the two sides tend to disagree as to whether or not archeological evidence supports the account and existence of Joshua. The question may not be answered with certainty, as both sides believe a large body of evidence (archeological and otherwise) supports their conclusions.<ref name=Longman&Dillard> "Introduction to the Old Testament", chapter on Joshua, by T. Longman and R. Dillard, Zondervan Books (2006)</ref> |
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==Views== |
==Views== |
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===In Islam=== |
===In Islam=== |
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{{See also|Yusha ibn Nun|Prophets of Islam}} |
{{See also|Yusha ibn Nun|Prophets of Islam}} |
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'''Yusha ibn Nun''' (Joshua) holds more importance for [[Shia Islam|Shia]] [[Muslim]]s than for [[Sunni Islam|Sunnis]] because he is held up as the [[Imam]] after [[Islamic view of Moses|Musa]] (Moses) after the death of [[Islamic view of Aaron|Harun]] (Aaron). As such, he is frequently mentioned in works on theology. [[Islam]] recognizes Joshua as the young man who accompanied Moses when they traveled in search of a knowledgeable servant of God (who is considered by some scholars of Islam to be a prophet, others just a man of knowledge), called [[Khidr|Al-Khidr]]. Joshua, accompanying Moses on a journey, lost the fish which they had kept in a basket during several days' travel. On that spot they both met Al-Khidr who reluctantly let Moses travel with him, during which time they came across many things. The [[Qur'an]] doesn't refer to Joshua by name({{cite quran|18|61|style=ref|b=n}}). |
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In [[Turkey]], it's believed that his tomb is in [[Istanbul]], on the [[Asia]]n side of the [[Bosphorus]]. The sacred place known as Yuşa Tepesi ([[Joshua's Hill]]) is revered and visited by the locals. |
In [[Turkey]], it's believed that his tomb is in [[Istanbul]], on the [[Asia]]n side of the [[Bosphorus]]. The sacred place known as Yuşa Tepesi ([[Joshua's Hill]]) is revered and visited by the locals. |
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Revision as of 08:26, 21 September 2010
| Judges in the Hebrew Bible שופטים |
|---|
| Italics indicate individuals not explicitly described as judges |
| Book of Exodus |
| Book of Joshua |
| Book of Judges |
| First Book of Samuel |
Joshua (Template:Lang-he-n Y'hoshuʿa; Greek: Ἰησοῦς, Arabic: يوشع بن نون Yusha ʿ ibn Nūn), according to the Hebrew Bible, became the leader of the Israelite tribes after the death of Moses. His story is told chiefly in the books Exodus, Numbers and Joshua. According to the Bible, Joshua's name was Hoshea the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, but that Moses called him Joshua, (Numbers 13:16) and that is the name by which he is commonly known. He was born in Egypt prior to the Exodus, and was probably the same age as Caleb, with whom he is occasionally associated.
He was one of the twelve spies of Israel sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. (Numbers 13:1–16) After the death of Moses, he led the Israelite tribes in the conquest of Canaan, and allocated the land to the tribes. The years in which these events took place is subject to academic dispute. According to conventional Bible chronology, Joshua lived between 1450–1370 BC, or sometime in the late Bronze Age. According to Joshua 24:29, Joshua died at the age of 110.
Joshua also holds a position of respect to Muslims; the Shi'ah believe he was an Imam. Despite not being canonized, he is considered by some to be the patron saint of spies and intelligence professionals.[citation needed]
Name
The English name Joshua is a rendering of the Hebrew: יהושע, "Yehoshua", meaning "Yahweh is salvation", from the Hebrew root Template:Hebrew, "salvation", "to deliver/be liberated", or "to be victorious".[1][2] The vocalization of the second name component may be read as Hoshea (Template:Hebrew) - the name used in the Torah before Moses added the divine name (Numbers 13:16).[3]
"Jesus" is the English of the Greek transliteration of "Yehoshua" via Aramaic. In the Septuagint, all instances of "Yehoshua" are rendered as "Ἰησοῦς" (Iēsoūs/Jesus), the closest Greek pronunciation of the Aramaic Template:Hebrew, "Yeshua" (Template:StrongHebrew).[4][5]
Conquest of Canaan
As Moses' apprentice, Joshua was a major figure in the events of the Exodus. He accompanied Moses part of the way when he ascended Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 32:17) He was one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore and report on the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:16–17), and only he and Caleb gave an encouraging report, a reward for which would be that only these two of the spies would enter the promised land (Numbers 14:23–24).
He was commander at their first battle after exiting Egypt, against the Amalekites in Rephidim (Exodus 17:8–16), in which they were victorious.
According to Joshua 1:1–9, Moses appointed Joshua to succeed him as leader of the Israelites. The first part of the book of Joshua covers the period when he led the conquest of Canaan.
At the Jordan River, the waters parted, as they had for Moses at the Red Sea. The first battle after the crossing of the Jordan was the Battle of Jericho. Joshua led the destruction of Jericho, then moved on to Ai, a small neighboring city to the west. However, they were defeated with thirty-six Israelite deaths. The defeat was attributed to Achan taking an "accursed thing" from Jericho; and was followed by Achan and his family and animals being stoned to death to restore God's favor. Joshua then went to defeat Ai.
The Israelites faced an alliance of Amorite kings from Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. At Gibeon Joshua asked God to cause the sun and moon to stand still, so that he could finish the battle in daylight. This event is most notable because "there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel. (Joshua 10:14) From there on, Joshua was able to lead the Israelites to several victories, securing much of the land of Canaan.
Division of the land
In the second part of the book of Joshua (Ch 13 onwards), the extent of the land to be conquered is defined (Numbers 34:1–15) and the allocation of the land among the tribes of Israel. At that time, much of this land was still unconquered. The tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh received land east of the Jordan (Numbers 34:14–15) while the other nine and a half tribes received land on the west of the Jordan.
Death
When he was "old and well advanced in years" [6] Joshua convened the elders and chiefs of the Israelites and exhorted them to have no fellowship with the native population because it could lead them to be unfaithful to God.[7] At a general assembly of the clans at Shechem, he took leave of the people, admonishing them to be loyal to their God, who had been so mightily manifested in the midst of them. As a witness of their promise to serve God, Joshua set up a great stone under an oak by the sanctuary of God. Soon afterward he died, at the age of 110, and was buried at Timnath Serah, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.[8]
Historicity
Some literary critics,[who?] following the documentary hypothesis, have stated that archaeological evidence does not show that Israel completely conquered Canaan during Joshua's time; apologist scholars have stated that the Book of Joshua explicitly says that Canaan was not completely conquered during Joshua's time.[9][10][11][12][13][14] Thus the two sides tend to disagree as to whether or not archeological evidence supports the account and existence of Joshua. The question may not be answered with certainty, as both sides believe a large body of evidence (archeological and otherwise) supports their conclusions.[15]
Views
In rabbinical literature
In rabbinic Jewish literature Joshua is regarded as a faithful, humble, deserving, wise man. Biblical verses illustrative of these qualities and of their reward are applied to him. "He that waits on his master shall be honored" (Pro. xxvii. 18) is construed as a reference to Joshua (Midrash Numbers Rabbah xii.), as is also the first part of the same verse, "Whoso keepes the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof" (Midrash Yalk., Josh. 2; Numbers Rabbah xii. 21). That "honor shall uphold the humble in spirit" (Pro. xxix. 23) is proved by Joshua's victory over Amalek (Midrash Numbers Rabbah xiii). Not the sons of Moses — as Moses himself had expected — but Joshua was appointed successor to the son of Amram (Midrash Numbers Rabbah xii). Moses was shown how Joshua reproved that Othniel (Yalḳ., Num. 776). Joshua's manliness recommended him for this high post. David referred to him in Psalms lxxxvii. 25, though without mentioning the name, lest dissensions should arise between his sons and those of his brothers (Yalḳ., quoting Sifre).
In Islam
Yusha ibn Nun (Joshua) holds more importance for Shia Muslims than for Sunnis because he is held up as the Imam after Musa (Moses) after the death of Harun (Aaron). As such, he is frequently mentioned in works on theology. Islam recognizes Joshua as the young man who accompanied Moses when they traveled in search of a knowledgeable servant of God (who is considered by some scholars of Islam to be a prophet, others just a man of knowledge), called Al-Khidr. Joshua, accompanying Moses on a journey, lost the fish which they had kept in a basket during several days' travel. On that spot they both met Al-Khidr who reluctantly let Moses travel with him, during which time they came across many things. The Qur'an doesn't refer to Joshua by name(18:61).
In Turkey, it's believed that his tomb is in Istanbul, on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. The sacred place known as Yuşa Tepesi (Joshua's Hill) is revered and visited by the locals.
In the Quran Joshua is mentioned in the 5th Surah of the Quran (5:22-26). The two men mentioned here are Caleb and Joshua: "Remember Moses said to his people: "O my people! Call in remembrance the favour of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples. "O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin." They said: "O Moses! In this land are a people of exceeding strength: Never shall we enter it until they leave it: if (once) they leave, then shall we enter." (But) among (their) Allah-fearing men were two on whom Allah had bestowed His grace: They said: "Assault them at the (proper) Gate: when once ye are in, victory will be yours; But on Allah put your trust if ye have faith." They said: "O Moses! while they remain there, never shall we be able to enter, to the end of time. Go thou, and thy Lord, and fight ye two, while we sit here (and watch)." He said: "O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brother: so separate us from this rebellious people!" Allah said: "Therefore will the land be out of their reach for forty years: In distraction will they wander through the land: But sorrow thou not over these rebellious people"
In later literature
In the Divine Comedy Joshua's spirit appears to Dante in the Heaven of Mars, where he is grouped with the other "warriors of the faith."
Baroque composer Georg Frideric Handel composed an oratorio "Joshua" in 1747.
Composer Franz Waxman composed an oratorio "Joshua" in 1959.
For a punning take on "Joshua, son of Nun," see the 1973 political thriller Joshua Son of None.
In the literary tradition of medieval Europe, Joshua is known as one of the Nine Worthies.
Joshua is a main protagonist in Matthew Woodring Stover's novel Jericho Moon.
Yahrtzeit
The annual commemoration of Joshua's yahrtzeit is marked on the 26th of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar. Thousands make the pilgrimage to Kifl Hares on the preceding night.
See also
References
- ^ A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament Francis Brown, with S.R. Driver and C.A. Briggs, based on the lexicon of William Gesenius. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 221 & 446
- ^ Fausset's Bible Dictionary
- ^ Joshua, New Bible Dictionary, second edition. 1987. Douglas JD, Hillyer N, eds., Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL, USA ISBN 0842346678
- ^ cf Numbers 13:16 LXX καὶ ὲπωνὸμασεν Μωυσῆς τὸν Αὐσῆ υἱὸν Ναυῆ Ἰησοῦν (and Moses named Hosea, son of Nun, Jesus)
- ^ The High Priest Jesus in Zechariah 3 LXX
- ^ Joshua 23:1–2
- ^ Joshua 23:7–8, 23:12–13
- ^ Joshua 24:29–30
- ^ Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From? William G. Dever, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2006
- ^ The biblical world, Volume 2, John Barton, 45
- ^ How to read the Bible, Marc Zvi Brettler, pp. 95-99
- ^ Biblical peoples and ethnicity: an archaeological study of Egyptians, Ann E. Killebrew, pp. 152-154
- ^ The Oxford guide to people and places of the Bible, Bruce M. Metzger, Michael Coogan, P. Kyle McCarter, p. 39
- ^ "Joshua, an Introduction and Commentary, by Richard Hess, Inter-Varsity press (1996)
- ^ "Introduction to the Old Testament", chapter on Joshua, by T. Longman and R. Dillard, Zondervan Books (2006)
External links
