Study Bible

Introduction to Joshua
by John MacArthur

Title

This is the first of the 12 historical books, and it gained its name from the exploits of Joshua, the understudy whom Moses prayed for and commissioned as a leader in Israel (Num 27:12-23). “Joshua” means “Jehovah saves,” or “the LORD is salvation,” and corresponds to the NT name “Jesus.” God delivered Israel in Joshua’s day when He was personally present as the saving Commander who fought on Israel’s behalf (Jos 5:14-6:2; 10:42; 23:3, 5; Acts 7:45).

Author and Date

Although the author is not named, the most probable candidate is Joshua, who was the key eyewitness to the events recorded (cf. 18:9; 24:26). An assistant whom Joshua groomed could have finished the book by attaching such comments as those concerning Joshua’s death (Jos 24:29-33). Some have even suggested that this section was written by the High-Priest Eleazar, or his son, Phinehas. Rahab was still living at the time Josh 6:25 was penned. The book was completed before David’s reign (Jos 15:63; cf. 2 Sam 5:5-9). The most likely writing period is ca. 1405-1385 B.C.

Joshua was born in Egyptian slavery, trained under Moses, and by God’s choice rose to his key position of leading Israel into Canaan. distinguishing features of his life include: 1) service (Ex 17:10; 24:13; 33:11; Num 11:28); 2) soldiering (Ex 17:9-13); 3) scouting (Num 13, 14); 4) supplication by Moses (Num 27:15-17); 5) the sovereignty of God (Num 27:18ff.); 6) the Spirit’s presence (Num 27:18; Deut 34:9); 7) separation by Moses (Num 27:18-23; Deut 31:7, 8, 13-15); and 8) selflessness in wholly following the Lord (Num 32:12).

Background and Setting

When Moses passed the baton of leadership on to Joshua before he died (Deut 34), Israel was at the end of its 40 year wilderness wandering period ca. 1405 B.C. Joshua was approaching 90 years of age when he became Israel’s leader. He later died at the age of 110 (Jos 24:29), having led Israel to drive out most of the Canaanites and having divided the Land among the 12 tribes. Poised on the plains of Moab, E of the Jordan River and the Land which God had promised (Gen 12:7; 15:18-21), the Israelites awaited God’s direction to conquer the Land. They faced peoples on the western side of the Jordan who had become so steeped in iniquity that God would cause the Land, so to speak, to spew out these inhabitants (Lev 18:24, 25). He would give Israel the Land by conquest, primarily to fulfill the covenant He had pledged to Abraham and his descendants, but also to pass just judgment on the sinful inhabitants (cf. Gen 15:16). Long possession of different parts of the Land by various peoples had pre-dated even Abraham’s day (Gen 10:15-19; 12:6; 13:7). Its inhabitants had continued on a moral decline in the worship of many gods up to Joshua’s time.

Historical and Theological Themes

A keynote feature is God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promise of giving the Land to Abraham’s descendants (Gen 12:7; 15:18-21; 17:8). By His leading (cf. 5:14-6:2), they inhabited the territories E and W of the Jordan, and so the word “possess” appears nearly 20 times.

Related to this theme is Israel’s failure to press their conquest to every part of the Land (Jos 13:1). Judges 1-2 later describes the tragic results from this sin. Key verses focus on: 1) God’s promise of possession of the Land (Jos 1:3, 6); 2) meditation on God’s law, which was strategic for His people (Jos 1:8); and 3) Israel’s actual possession of the Land in part (Jos 11:23; 21:45; 22:4).

Specific allotment of distinct portions in the Land was Joshua’s task, as recorded in chaps. 13-22. Levites were placed strategically in 48 towns so that God’s spiritual services through them would be reasonably within reach of the Israelites, wherever they lived.

God wanted His people to possess the Land: 1) to keep His promise (Gen 12:7); 2) to set the stage for later developments in His kingdom plan (cf. Gen 17:8; 49:8-12), e.g., positioning Israel for events in the periods of the kings and prophets; 3) to punish peoples that were an affront to Him because of extreme sinfulness (Lev 18:25); and 4) to be a testimony to other peoples (Josh 2:9-11), as God’s covenant heart reached out to all nations (Gen 12:1-3).

Interpretive Challenges

Miracles always challenge readers either to believe that the God who created heaven and earth (Gen 1:1) can do other mighty works, too, or to explain them away. As in Moses’ day, miracles in this book were a part of God’s purpose, such as: 1) His holding back the Jordan’s waters (Josh 3:7-17); 2) the fall of Jericho’s walls (Josh 6:1-27); 3) the hailstones (Josh 10:1-11); and 4) the long day (Josh 10:12-15).

Other challenges include: 1) How did God’s blessing on the harlot Rahab, who responded to Him in faith, relate to her telling a lie (Josh 2)? 2) Why were Achan’s family members executed with him (Josh 7)? 3) Why was Ai, with fewer men than Israel, hard to conquer (Josh 7-8)? 4) What does God’s “sending the hornet” before Israel mean (Josh 24:12)? These questions will be addressed in the notes.

Introduction to Joshua, Copyright © 2007, Grace To You. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Outline of Joshua
by John MacArthur

I. Entering the Promised Land (Jos 1:1-5:15)

II. Conquering the Promised Land (Jos 6:1-12:24)

A. The Central Campaign (Jos 6:1-8:35)

B. The Southern Campaign (Jos 9:1-10:43)

C. The Northern Campaign (Jos 11:1-15)

D. The Summary of Conquests (Jos 11:16-12:24)

III. Distributing Portions in the Promised Land (Jos 13:1-22:34)

A. Summary of Instructions (Jos 13:1-33)

B. West of the Jordan (Jos 14:1-19:51)

C. Cities of Refuge (Jos 20:1-9)

D. Cities of the Levites (Jos 21:1-45)

E. East of the Jordan (Jos 22:1-34)

IV. Retaining the Promised Land (Jos 23:1-24:28)

A. The First Speech by Joshua (Jos 23:1-16)

B. The Second Speech by Joshua (Jos 24:1-28)

V. Postscript (Jos 24:29-33)

Outline of Joshua, Copyright © 2007, Grace To You. All rights reserved. Used by permission.