The Book of Joshua is the sixth book of the Bible and is part of the Old Testament. It picks up the story after the death of Moses and describes how Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land after their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Here is a summary of the key events and themes found in the Book of Joshua:
Entering the Promised Land
After Moses dies, God appoints Joshua as the new leader of the Israelites. Under Joshua’s leadership, the Israelites prepare to enter Canaan, the land that God had promised them. Joshua sends spies into Jericho, the first city they would encounter, and the spies stay with Rahab, a prostitute. Rahab hides the spies from the king of Jericho because she believes in the power of the Israelite God. She asks for protection for herself and her family when the Israelites conquer Jericho.
The Israelites then cross the Jordan River on dry ground into Canaan. This is made possible by another miraculous parting of the river, reminiscent of what happened under Moses’ leadership when they crossed the Red Sea out of Egypt. After crossing the Jordan, the Israelites set up memorial stones taken from the riverbed to remind future generations of God’s provision.
The Battle of Jericho
The conquest of Canaan begins with the Battle of Jericho. Joshua receives instructions from God on how to take the heavily fortified city. Following God’s commands, Joshua has his army march around the walls once a day for six days. On the seventh day, they march around seven times, with seven priests blowing trumpets. When they make a loud shout, the walls of Jericho collapse, allowing the Israelites to rush in. The city is burned and destroyed, except for Rahab and her family, who are saved according to the promise.
Ai and the Sin of Achan
Joshua then sets his sights on conquering the city of Ai. However, their initial attack fails and the Israelites are forced to retreat. Joshua seeks God to understand why and God reveals that someone has sinned by taking plunder from Jericho that was supposed to be devoted to God. Eventually the guilty party, a man named Achan, confesses to stealing a beautiful robe, silver, and gold during the fall of Jericho. As punishment, Achan and his family are stoned to death. With the sin atoned for, the Israelites are now able to defeat Ai by burning it to the ground.
The Gibeonite Deception
The people of Gibeon become afraid when they hear of what the Israelites have done to Jericho and Ai. So they devise a plan to make peace. They pretend to be from a distant land and ask Joshua to sign a treaty with them. Joshua is deceived and makes a pledge of protection to them. When he discovers their trickery, he honors the deal but makes them servants who cut wood and carry water for the Israelites.
The Battle of the Amorites
When the king of Jerusalem hears that the Gibeonites have made peace with the Israelites, he is afraid and forms an alliance with four other Amorite kings to attack Gibeon. The Gibeonites ask Joshua for help, and he brings the Israelite army to defend them. During the battle, God sends large hailstones from the sky which kill more Amorites than the Israelites do. Joshua even commands the sun to stand still so the Israelites have more time to complete the victory.
Conquering the Southern Cities
Joshua proceeds to conquer other cities in the southern region of Canaan, including Lachish and Hebron. The passage summarizes these victories briefly, only highlighting a few details like how Joshua disabled the horses and chariots of his enemies. The southern campaign covers a large area of the Promised Land.
Conquering the Northern Cities
The northern campaign is also summarized, covering key battles near the waters of Merom and cities like Hazor. Joshua is successful in defeating another alliance of Canaanite kings led by Jabin, king of Hazor. As God instructed, Joshua hamstrings the horses and burns the chariots of Hazor to render them useless in future battles.
Dividing the Land Among the Tribes
With the major conquests complete, Joshua divides up the Promised Land among the twelve tribes. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh already settled on the eastern side of the Jordan River based on an earlier allocation by Moses. The remaining western lands are divided by casting lots. Judah’s territory includes cities like Hebron in the south. The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh receive their portion in central Canaan. The Levites do not receive their own territory, but are allocated cities to live in across the other tribal allotments.
Joshua’s Farewell Address
In his old age, Joshua delivers farewell speeches to the tribes of Israel. He recounts their history and God’s faithfulness in giving them the Promised Land. Joshua challenges them to fully occupy their territories and says that driving out all their enemies will require courage and adhering closely to God’s laws. He warns against intermarrying with the Canaanites and worshiping their idols. Joshua’s final words urge the people to “choose this day whom you will serve” (24:15). The tribes recommit themselves to serving the Lord.
Shortly after this, Joshua dies at the age of 110 and is buried on land belonging to his tribe of Ephraim. The book concludes by noting that Joshua’s legacy lived on through the elders who outlived him and “had known all the work that the Lord did for Israel” (24:31). The bones of Joseph, which had been carried out of Egypt, were buried at Shechem on land Jacob had previously purchased.
In summary, the Book of Joshua covers how the Israelites finally obtained the Promised Land after a 40 year delay due to their disobedience. It highlights God miraculously empowering Joshua in battles like Jericho. The book also offers spiritual lessons through events like Achan’s sin and its consequences. While much land is conquered, the closing notes indicate there is still more work to fully occupy all God has given. Joshua’s faithful life and leadership set the stage for possession of the Promised Land.