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Joshua (Template:Lang-he-n Y'hoshuʿa; Greek: Ἰησοῦς, Arabic: يوشع بن نون Yusha ʿ ibn Nūn), is the central character in the Hebrew Bible's Book of Joshua. According to that book, he 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. 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]

Narrative of Joshua

Joshua and the Exodus

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.

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

Origins of the Book of Joshua

In 1943 Martin Noth published a now-famous study of the origins of the series of biblical books from Deuteronomy to the two Books of Kings, arguing that behind these books lay a single single work composed in the early part of the Babylonian captivity (586-539 BCE) - the Book of Joshua is of course the second book in this series, following Deuteronomy.^[9] Most scholars today regard Noth's "Deuteronomistic history" as the best explanation for the origin of these books, including Joshua.^[10]

Archaeology

In 1400 BCE - the time of Joshua's career according to the bible's own chronology - Canaan was a part of the Egyptian empire.^[11] Joshua, however, encounters no Egyptians during his conquest of Canaan, only Canaanites. At that time - i.e., the Late Bronze Age - the Canaanites lived in city-states along the coast and in the major valleys, while the highlands which would later become the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were almost unpopulated. Egypt continued to be a strong presence into the 12th century, and surviving Canaanite cities shared the territory with the cities of the newly-arrived Philistines in the southern plain.^[12] Further north along the coast the Phoenician cities continued from the Bronze into the Iron Age without interruption,^[13] but the book of Joshua is as unaware of Phoenicians and Philistines as it is of Egyptians.

The first archaeological record of the name Israel occurs in the Merneptah stele, erected by an Egyptian pharaoh c.1200 BCE: "Israel is laid waste and his seed is not."^[14] This Israel, identified as a people, were probably located in the northern part of the central highlands,^[15] and 1200 BCE was the time when the Canaanite city-state system was beginning to collapse as Egypt withdrew from the region. At the same time the highlands, previously unpopulated, were beginning to fill with villages: surveys have identified more than 300 new settlements in the Palestinian highlands during Iron Age I, most of them in the northern regions, and the largest with a population of no more than 300.^[16] It is impossible to differentiate these "Israelite" villages from Canaanite sites of the same period on the basis of material culture - almost the sole marker distinguishing the two is an absence of pig bones, although whether this can be taken as an ethnic marker or is due to other factors remains a matter of dispute.^[17] There are no temples or shrines, although cult-objects associated with the Canaanite god El have been found.^[18] The population lived by farming and herding and were largely self-sufficient in economic terms, but generated a surplus which was could be traded for goods not locally available; writing was known but was not common.^[19]

These "Israelites" - the sites are in fact indistinguishable from non-Israelite ones found outside the highlands - are clearly indigenous to Canaan:^[20] to take language as just one indicator, Canaanite dialects of the 1st millennium divide into a core group made up of Phoenician and Israelite and a "fringe" group of Ammonite, Moabite and Edomite and Judaean,^[21] and it is impossible to distinguish between Hebrew and Canaanite inscriptions down to the 10th century.^[22]

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.

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
^ Graham, M.P, and McKenzie, Steven L., "The Hebrew Bible today: an introduction to critical issues" (Westminster John Knox Press, 1998) p.59
^ Dever, William, "What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It?" (Eerdman's, 2001) p.100
^ Killebrew, Anne, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity: An Archaeological Study of Egyptians, Canaanites, and Early Israel, 1300-1100 BCE" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005) pp.10-16
^ Golden, Jonathan M., "Ancient Canaan and Israel: An Introduction" (Oxford University Press, 2004) pp.155-160
^ Golden, Jonathan M., "Ancient Canaan and Israel: An Introduction" (Oxford University Press, 2004) pp.155-160
^ Lawrence E. Stager, Forging an Identity: The Emergence of Ancient Israel, in Michael D. Coogan (ed), "The Oxford History of the Biblical World (Oxford UP, 1998), p.91
^ Niels Peter Lemche, "The Israelites in History and Tradition" (Westminster John Knox, 1998) pp.35-8
^ Paula McNutt, "Reconstructing the Society of Ancient Israel" pp.69-70
^ Anne E. Killebrew, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005) p.176
^ Anne E. Killebrew, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005) p.176
^ Miller, Robert D., "Chieftains of the Highland Clans: A History of Israel in the 12th and 11th centuries BC" (Eerdman's, 2005) pp.97-104
^ Killebrew, Anne, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity: An Archaeological Study of Egyptians, Canaanites, and Early Israel, 1300-1100 BCE" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005) pp.10-16
^ Thompson, Thomas L., "Early History of the Israelite People" (Bril, 1992) p.413
^ Smith, Mark S., "The Early History of God" (HarpurSanFrancisco, 2002) p.27

External links

de Pury, Albert, Römer, Thomas, Macchi, Jean-Daniel "Israël constructs its history: Deuteronomistic historiography in recent research" (Sheffield Academic Press, 2000)

Garbini, G., "Myth and history in the bible" (Sheffield Academic Press, 2003)

Graham, M.P, and McKenzie, Steven L., "The Hebrew Bible today: an introduction to critical issues" (Westminster John Knox Press, 1998)

Killebrew, Anne, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity: An Archaeological Study of Egyptians, Canaanites, and Early Israel, 1300-1100 BCE" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005)

Coogan, Michael D. (ed), "The Oxford History of the Biblical World (Oxford University Press, 1998)

Oxford Bible Commentary (ed. John Barton, John Muddiman, Oxford University Press, 2001)

Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible (ed. James D. G. Dunn, John William Rogerson, Eerdmans, 2003)

Day, John, "Yahweh and the gods and goddesses of Canaan" (Sheffield Academic Press, 2002)

Dever, William, "What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It?" (Eerdman's, 2001)

Dever, William, "Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From?" (Eerdman's, 2003)

Finkelstein, Israel; Mazar, Amihay; Schmidt, Brian B., "The Quest for the Historical Israel" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2007)

Brettler, Marc Zvi, "How to read the Bible" (Jewish Publication Society, 2005

Joshua, an Introduction and Commentary, by Richard Hess, Inter-Varsity press (1996)

Joshua Tribe of Ephraim
Preceded by Moses	Judge of Israel	Succeeded by Othniel

[1] 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

[2] Fausset's Bible Dictionary

[3] Joshua, New Bible Dictionary, second edition. 1987. Douglas JD, Hillyer N, eds., Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL, USA ISBN 0842346678

[4] Numbers 13:16 LXX καὶ ὲπωνὸμασεν Μωυσῆς τὸν Αὐσῆ υἱὸν Ναυῆ Ἰησοῦν (and Moses named Hosea, son of Nun, Jesus)

[5] The High Priest Jesus in Zechariah 3 LXX

[6] Joshua 23:1–2

[7] Joshua 23:7–8, 23:12–13

[8] Joshua 24:29–30

[9] Graham, M.P, and McKenzie, Steven L., "The Hebrew Bible today: an introduction to critical issues" (Westminster John Knox Press, 1998) p.59

[10] Dever, William, "What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It?" (Eerdman's, 2001) p.100

[11] Killebrew, Anne, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity: An Archaeological Study of Egyptians, Canaanites, and Early Israel, 1300-1100 BCE" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005) pp.10-16

[12] Golden, Jonathan M., "Ancient Canaan and Israel: An Introduction" (Oxford University Press, 2004) pp.155-160

[13] Golden, Jonathan M., "Ancient Canaan and Israel: An Introduction" (Oxford University Press, 2004) pp.155-160

[14] Lawrence E. Stager, Forging an Identity: The Emergence of Ancient Israel, in Michael D. Coogan (ed), "The Oxford History of the Biblical World (Oxford UP, 1998), p.91

[15] Niels Peter Lemche, "The Israelites in History and Tradition" (Westminster John Knox, 1998) pp.35-8

[16] Paula McNutt, "Reconstructing the Society of Ancient Israel" pp.69-70

[17] Anne E. Killebrew, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005) p.176

[18] Anne E. Killebrew, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005) p.176

[19] Miller, Robert D., "Chieftains of the Highland Clans: A History of Israel in the 12th and 11th centuries BC" (Eerdman's, 2005) pp.97-104

[20] Killebrew, Anne, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity: An Archaeological Study of Egyptians, Canaanites, and Early Israel, 1300-1100 BCE" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005) pp.10-16

[21] Thompson, Thomas L., "Early History of the Israelite People" (Bril, 1992) p.413

[22] Smith, Mark S., "The Early History of God" (HarpurSanFrancisco, 2002) p.27

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@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 {{Biblical longevity}}
-'''Joshua ''' ({{lang-he-n|יְהוֹשֻׁעַ}} ''Y'hoshuʿa''; {{lang-el|Ἰησοῦς}}, {{lang-ar|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 [[Book of Exodus|Exodus]], [[Book of Numbers|Numbers]] and [[Book of Joshua|Joshua]]. According to the Bible, Joshua's name was '''Hoshea''' the son of [[Nun (Bible)|Nun]], of the [[tribe of Ephraim]], but that Moses called him Joshua, ({{bibleverse||Numbers|13:16|HE}}) 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.
+'''Joshua ''' ({{lang-he-n|יְהוֹשֻׁעַ}} ''Y'hoshuʿa''; {{lang-el|Ἰησοῦς}}, {{lang-ar|يوشع بن نون}} ''Yusha ʿ ibn Nūn''), is the central character in the [[Hebrew Bible]]'s [[Book of Joshua]]. According to that book, he became the leader of the [[Israelite]] tribes after the death of [[Moses]]. His story is told chiefly in the books [[Book of Exodus|Exodus]], [[Book of Numbers|Numbers]] and [[Book of Joshua|Joshua]]. According to the Bible, Joshua's name was '''Hoshea''' the son of [[Nun (Bible)|Nun]], of the [[tribe of Ephraim]], but that Moses called him Joshua, ({{bibleverse||Numbers|13:16|HE}}) 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 [[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. 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.
 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}}
@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 "[[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>
-==Conquest of Canaan==<!-- [[Conquest of Canaan]] redirects here -->
+==Narrative of Joshua==<!-- [[Conquest of Canaan]] redirects here -->
 {{See also|History of ancient Israel and Judah}}
+===Joshua and the Exodus===
 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, Egypt|Mount Sinai]] to receive the [[Ten Commandments]]. ({{bibleverse||Exodus|32:17|HE}}) He was one of the [[The Twelve Spies|twelve spies]] sent by Moses to explore and report on the land of [[Canaan]] ({{bibleverse||Numbers|13:16-17|HE}}), 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 ({{bibleverse||Numbers|14:23-24|HE}}).
@@ Line 24: / Line 26: @@
 According to {{bibleverse||Joshua|1:1-9|NIV}}, 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]].
+===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 (Bible)|Ai]], a small neighboring city to the west. However, they were defeated with thirty-six Israelite deaths. The defeat was attributed to [[Achan (Bible)|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 (ancient city)|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. ({{bibleverse||Joshua|10:14|NIV}}) From there on, Joshua was able to lead the Israelites to several victories, securing much of the land of Canaan.
-==Division of the land==
+===Division of the land===
 [[File:12 staemme israels cs.png|thumb|250px]]
 {{See also|Tribal allotments of Israel}}
@@ Line 34: / Line 37: @@
 In the second part of the book of Joshua (Ch 13 onwards), the extent of the land to be conquered is defined ({{bibleverse||Numbers|34:1-15|NIV}}) and the [[Tribal allotments of Israel|allocation of the land]] among the [[tribes of Israel]]. At that time, much of this land was still unconquered. The tribes of [[Tribe of Reuben|Reuben]], [[Tribe of Gad|Gad]] and half of [[Tribe of Manasseh|Manasseh]] received land east of the [[Jordan River|Jordan]] ({{bibleverse||Numbers|34:14-15|NIV}}) while the other nine and a half tribes received land on the west of the Jordan.
-==Death==
+===Death===
 When he was "old and well advanced in years" <ref>{{bibleverse||Joshua|23:1-2|NIV}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{bibleverse||Joshua|23:7-8|NIV}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Joshua|23:12-13|NIV}}</ref>  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-heres|Timnath Serah]], in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.<ref>{{bibleverse||Joshua|24:29-30|NIV}}</ref>
 == Historicity ==
 {{Main|Book of Joshua#Historicity|l1=Historicity of the Book of Joshua}}
-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>
+;Origins of the Book of Joshua
+In 1943 [[Martin Noth]] published a now-famous study of the origins of the series of biblical books from [[Deuteronomy]] to the two [[Books of Kings]], arguing that behind these books lay a single single  work composed in the early part of the [[Babylonian captivity]] (586-539 BCE) - the [[Book of Joshua]] is of course the second book in this series, following Deuteronomy.<REF>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=owwhpmIVgSAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Hebrew+Bible+today:+an+introduction+to+critical+issues&source=bl&ots=fUEuF-W9Ul&sig=YcThOSXuCkrdCzelf6hXPh0_2Mo&hl=en&ei=AOyRTKGFJ4KecIS89MYG&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBsQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false Graham, M.P, and McKenzie, Steven L., "The Hebrew Bible today: an introduction to critical issues" (Westminster John Knox Press, 1998)] p.59</REF> Most scholars today regard Noth's "[[Deuteronomistic history]]" as the best explanation for the origin of these books, including Joshua.<REF>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=6-VxwC5rQtwC&dq=Dever+What+did+the+biblical+writers+know&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=KSVhS6P5MoqUkAXF34zzCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false Dever, William, "What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It?" (Eerdman's, 2001)] p.100</REF>
+;Archaeology
+In 1400 BCE - the time of Joshua's career according to the bible's own chronology - Canaan was a part of the Egyptian empire.<REF>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=VtAmmwapfVAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Biblical+peoples+and+ethnicity:+an+archaeological&source=bl&ots=ZaKtgpooxk&sig=Qc02Q0uT2nZCL1zyDStCvgRsjMA&hl=en&ei=2X7WS5yOCJCTkAWG6I3ABg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Killebrew, Anne, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity: An Archaeological Study of Egyptians, Canaanites, and Early Israel, 1300-1100 BCE" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005) pp.10-16]</REF> Joshua, however, encounters no Egyptians during his conquest of Canaan, only Canaanites. At that time - i.e., the Late Bronze Age - the Canaanites lived in city-states along the coast and in the major valleys, while the highlands which would later become the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were almost unpopulated. Egypt continued to be a strong presence into the 12th century, and surviving Canaanite cities shared the territory with the cities of the newly-arrived Philistines in the southern plain.<REF>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=EResmS5wOnkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Ancient+Canaan+and+Israel:+An+Introduction++By+Jonathan+M+Golden&source=bl&ots=dR7OwoapYZ&sig=wUg8qr6asak7B2WSOrCdVaNphRU&hl=en&ei=_FlVTK39MIu4cdui7b8M&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Golden, Jonathan M., "Ancient Canaan and Israel: An Introduction" (Oxford University Press, 2004)] pp.155-160</REF> Further north along the coast the Phoenician cities continued from the Bronze into the Iron Age without interruption,<REF>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=EResmS5wOnkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Ancient+Canaan+and+Israel:+An+Introduction++By+Jonathan+M+Golden&source=bl&ots=dR7OwoapYZ&sig=wUg8qr6asak7B2WSOrCdVaNphRU&hl=en&ei=_FlVTK39MIu4cdui7b8M&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Golden, Jonathan M., "Ancient Canaan and Israel: An Introduction" (Oxford University Press, 2004)] pp.155-160</REF> but the book of Joshua is as unaware of Phoenicians and Philistines as it is of Egyptians.
+The first archaeological record of the name Israel occurs in the [[Merneptah stele]], erected by an Egyptian pharaoh c.1200 BCE: "Israel is laid waste and his seed is not."<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=zFhvECwNQD0C&dq=The+Oxford+History+of+the+Biblical+World&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=ToBWTIreOITJceLI7L8M&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false Lawrence E. Stager, ''Forging an Identity: The Emergence of Ancient Israel'', in Michael D. Coogan (ed), "The Oxford History of the Biblical World (Oxford UP, 1998), p.91]</ref> This Israel, identified as a people, were probably located in the northern part of the central highlands,<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=JIoY7PagAOAC&dq=lemche+the+israelites+in+history+and+tradition&printsec=frontcover&source=in&hl=en&ei=LsJaS8L4N86IkAW9hdmVAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=11&ved=0CDoQ6AEwCg#v=onepage&q=&f=false Niels Peter Lemche, "The Israelites in History and Tradition" (Westminster John Knox, 1998) pp.35-8]</ref> and 1200 BCE was the time when the Canaanite city-state system was beginning to collapse as Egypt withdrew from the region.  At the same time the highlands, previously unpopulated, were beginning to fill with villages: surveys have identified more than 300 new settlements in the Palestinian highlands during Iron Age I, most of them in the northern regions, and the largest with a population of no more than 300.<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=hd28MdGNyTYC&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33&dq=Reconstructing+the+Society+of+Ancient+Israel++By+Paula+M.+McNutt&source=bl&ots=aE91cj05u4&sig=Jl3tjrv1Qfr0S3wcWYTDc7FFZ9M&hl=en&ei=VGhZS46fMM-IkAWng9mhAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=&f=false Paula McNutt, "Reconstructing the Society of Ancient Israel" pp.69-70]</ref> It is impossible to differentiate these "Israelite" villages from Canaanite sites of the same period on the basis of material culture - almost the sole marker distinguishing the two is an absence of pig bones, although whether this can be taken as an ethnic marker or is due to other factors remains a matter of dispute.<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=VtAmmwapfVAC&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=%22Killebrew%22+%22Biblical+peoples+and+ethnicity:+an+archaeological+study+...%22+&ots=ZaJvmpgnzk&sig=CzIY1aStY7SWB4f1uc9NWTUJocY#v=onepage&q=&f=false Anne E. Killebrew, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005) p.176]</ref> There are no temples or shrines, although cult-objects associated with the Canaanite god El have been found.<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=VtAmmwapfVAC&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=%22Killebrew%22+%22Biblical+peoples+and+ethnicity:+an+archaeological+study+...%22+&ots=ZaJvmpgnzk&sig=CzIY1aStY7SWB4f1uc9NWTUJocY#v=onepage&q=&f=false Anne E. Killebrew, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005) p.176]</ref> The population lived by farming and herding and were largely self-sufficient in economic terms, but generated a surplus which was could be traded for goods not locally available; writing was known but was not common.<REF>[http://books.google.com.kh/books?id=Gtm7NtK87poC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Chieftains+of+the+highland+clans&source=bl&ots=RIe6i62fi4&sig=ZE8W_wvrExSkZ61YvQDlhrFpyJA&hl=km&ei=78p4S46GO4zq7AOiy8GmCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=&f=false Miller, Robert D., "Chieftains of the Highland Clans: A History of Israel in the 12th and 11th centuries BC" (Eerdman's, 2005)] pp.97-104</REF>
+These "Israelites" - the sites are in fact indistinguishable from non-Israelite ones found outside the highlands - are clearly indigenous to Canaan:<REF>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=VtAmmwapfVAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Biblical+peoples+and+ethnicity:+an+archaeological&source=bl&ots=ZaKtgpooxk&sig=Qc02Q0uT2nZCL1zyDStCvgRsjMA&hl=en&ei=2X7WS5yOCJCTkAWG6I3ABg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Killebrew, Anne, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity: An Archaeological Study of Egyptians, Canaanites, and Early Israel, 1300-1100 BCE" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005) pp.10-16]</REF>  to take language as just one indicator, Canaanite dialects of the 1st millennium divide into a core group made up of [[Phoenician language|Phoenician]] and Israelite and a "fringe" group of [[Ammonite language|Ammonite]], [[Moabite language|Moabite]] and [[Edomite language|Edomite]] and Judaean,<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=XqoMRPJca-wC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Early+history+of+the+Israelite+people:+from+the+written+and+archaeological+...++By+Thomas+L.+Thompson&source=bl&ots=ddg24smZxn&sig=Dxf9AuELIkhiNPyF-dUnJ9uMaOA&hl=en&ei=h7JeS_yLF9GGkAWJh4WiAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CCgQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=&f=false Thompson, Thomas L., "Early History of the Israelite People" (Bril, 1992)] p.413</ref> and it is impossible to distinguish between Hebrew and Canaanite inscriptions down to the 10th century.<REF>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=1yM3AuBh4AsC&dq=Mark+Smith+Early+History+of+God&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=7DZhS_iGGY2TkAW0vKXqCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false Smith, Mark S., "The Early History of God" (HarpurSanFrancisco, 2002) p.27]</REF>
 ==Views==
@@ Line 80: / Line 92: @@
 ==External links==
 {{Commons category|Joshua}}
-* [[wikisource:Bible (King James)/Joshua|Book of Joshua]] at Wikisource.
+* [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=aeIWYGLVoDQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Deuteronomistic+history+consensus&source=bl&ots=74YDx7sAiK&sig=6HstEiMWQXw5vnUBTCT3_rCGMX4&hl=en&ei=c5eYTPajBM2wccHirJoP&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Joshua&f=false de Pury, Albert, Römer, Thomas, Macchi, Jean-Daniel "Israël constructs its history: Deuteronomistic historiography in recent research" (Sheffield Academic Press, 2000)]
-* [http://www.catholicrevelations.com/category/the-catholic-bible/douay-rheims-version/the-book-of-joshua-josue-catholic-bible-douay-rheims-version-commentary-bishop-challoner-old-testament-stories.html The Book of Joshua, Douay Rheims Bible Version with annotations By Bishop Challoner]
-* [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua;&version=9;  Book of Joshua at BibleGateway]
+*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=5bY6JCwYK4sC&pg=PA104&lpg=PA104&dq=Garbini+Ezra&source=bl&ots=6WsNinIOe0&sig=0KmMTPpxl_PFOr5yBIO4ixM1X2E&hl=en&ei=KaeSTPavC83XcZD6_fIG&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Garbini%20Ezra&f=false Garbini, G., "Myth and history in the bible" (Sheffield Academic Press, 2003)]
-* [http://www.christnotes.org/dictionary.php?dict=sbd&id=2493 Smith’s Bible Dictionary]
-* [http://refbible.com/j/joshua.htm Easton's Bible Dictionary & Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia]
+*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=owwhpmIVgSAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Hebrew+Bible+today:+an+introduction+to+critical+issues&source=bl&ots=fUEuF-W9Ul&sig=YcThOSXuCkrdCzelf6hXPh0_2Mo&hl=en&ei=AOyRTKGFJ4KecIS89MYG&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBsQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false Graham, M.P, and McKenzie, Steven L., "The Hebrew Bible today: an introduction to critical issues" (Westminster John Knox Press, 1998)]
+* [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=VtAmmwapfVAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Biblical+peoples+and+ethnicity:+an+archaeological&source=bl&ots=ZaKtgpooxk&sig=Qc02Q0uT2nZCL1zyDStCvgRsjMA&hl=en&ei=2X7WS5yOCJCTkAWG6I3ABg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Killebrew, Anne, "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity: An Archaeological Study of Egyptians, Canaanites, and Early Israel, 1300-1100 BCE" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2005)]
+*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=zFhvECwNQD0C&dq=The+Oxford+History+of+the+Biblical+World&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=ToBWTIreOITJceLI7L8M&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false Coogan, Michael D. (ed), "The Oxford History of the Biblical World (Oxford University Press, 1998)]
+*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=3surkLVdw3UC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Oxford+Bible+commentary&source=bl&ots=5s4E9q2oZh&sig=6NU_qqp_09wL-Pyxg2XqvwteooI&hl=en&ei=GY-UTIr7DYGfcaT13KQF&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false Oxford Bible Commentary (ed. John Barton, John Muddiman, Oxford University Press, 2001)]
+*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&dq=Eerdmans+commentary+on+the+Bible&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=pmmUTNrsCZC9cfqd9aMF&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible (ed. James D. G. Dunn, John William Rogerson, Eerdmans, 2003)]
+*[http://www.google.com.au/search?q=Yahweh+and+the+gods+and+goddesses+of+Canaan&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a Day, John, "Yahweh and the gods and goddesses of Canaan" (Sheffield Academic Press, 2002)]
+*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=6-VxwC5rQtwC&dq=Dever+What+did+the+biblical+writers+know&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=KSVhS6P5MoqUkAXF34zzCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false Dever, William, "What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It?" (Eerdman's, 2001)]
+*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=8WkbUkKeqcoC&dq=Who+were+the+early+Israelites,+and+where+did+they+come+from%3F&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=XDxdS8SRKc6OkQXd_YymAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false Dever, William, "Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From?" (Eerdman's, 2003)]
+*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=jpbngoKHg8gC&dq=The+quest+for+the+historical+Israel:&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=p_xmS9jKDdGHkAWaoOTsDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false Finkelstein, Israel; Mazar, Amihay; Schmidt, Brian B., "The Quest for the Historical Israel" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2007)]
+* [http://books.google.ca/books?id=39nQafdJ_ssC&pg=PA96 Brettler, Marc Zvi, "How to read the Bible" (Jewish Publication Society, 2005]
+* Joshua, an Introduction and Commentary, by Richard Hess, Inter-Varsity press (1996)
 {{S-start}}
 {{S-hou|[[Tribe of Ephraim]]||||}}

v t e Prophets in the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament
Pre-Patriarchal	Abel^‡ Enoch^‡ Noah^‡ (in rabbinic literature)
Patriarchs / Matriarchs	Abraham Isaac Jacob Sarah
Israelite prophets in the Torah	Moses (in rabbinic literature) Aaron Miriam Eldad and Medad Phinehas
Mentioned in the Former Prophets	Joshua Deborah Gideon Samson Elkanah Hannah Abigail Samuel Gad Nathan David Solomon Jeduthun Ahijah Shemaiah Elijah Elisha Iddo Hanani Jehu Micaiah Jahaziel Eliezer ben Dodavah Zechariah ben Jehoiada Huldah
Major	Isaiah (in rabbinic literature) Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel^‡ (in rabbinic literature)
Minor	Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah (in rabbinic literature) Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi
Noahide	Beor Balaam Job (in rabbinic literature)
Other	Amoz Beeri Baruch Agur Uriah Buzi Mordecai Esther (in rabbinic literature) Ezra Nehemiah Ruth Oded Azariah
Italics indicate persons whose status as prophets is not universally accepted. ‡ indicates persons whose status as prophets is exclusive to Christianity.