Joshua

Helene Dallaire, Tremper Longman III, David E. Garland

• Publisher: Zondervan Academic
• Year: 2017
• eBook ISBN:
  9780310531777
• Subtopic: Biblical Criticism & Interpretation

Continuing a Gold Medallion Award-winning legacy, this completely revised edition of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary series puts world-class biblical scholarship in your hands. Based on the original twelve-volume set that has become a staple in college and seminary libraries and pastors’ studies worldwide, this new thirteen-volume edition marshals the most current evangelical scholarship and resources. The thoroughly revised features consist of: • Comprehensive introductions • Short and precise bibliographies • Detailed outlines • Insightful expositions of passages and verses • Overviews of sections of Scripture to illuminate the big picture • Occasional reflections to give more detail on important issues • Notes on textual questions and special problems, placed close to the texts in question • Transliterations and translations of Hebrew and Greek words, enabling readers to understand even the more technical notes • A balanced and respectful approach toward marked differences of opinion

Text and Exposition

I. CONQUEST OF THE LAND (1:1—12:24)

OVERVIEW

The first twelve chapters of this book highlight the conquest/subjugation of the land of Canaan under Joshua’s leadership. The accounts preserved in the narrative are well-crafted summaries of battles—defeats and victories—that took place during Israel’s initial penetration into the Promised Land. Conquest narratives are not unique to biblical Israel. Ancient Near Eastern texts provide numerous accounts of military campaigns led by prominent kings who sought to expand their territories and include neighboring lands (e.g., annals of Egyptian, Hittite, Assyrian, and Babylonian kings). The surrounding nations would have interpreted Israel’s conquest of Canaan as a natural step toward establishing a people in a new region or expanding a people’s territory.

The first part of Joshua points to the following two major events: the crossing of the Jordan (1:1–5:12) and the conquest of Canaan (5:13–12:24). The events recorded in 1:1–11:15 seem to have occurred over a relatively short period of time, conceivably over the course of a few months, but statements in chapter 11 contradict this notion. The narrator points out that “Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time” (11:18) and that after the conquest, “the land had rest from war” (11:23; cf. 14:15). This information echoes what Yahweh clearly declared in Exodus 23:29–30, “I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.”

Several events described in Joshua 1–12 reflect events that appear in a similar chronological order in Exodus. For example:

• • removal of the leader’s sandals while standing on holy ground—Ex 3:5//Jos 5:15
• • Passover celebration by the community—Ex 12//Jos 5:10–12
• • destruction of enemies and taking of plunder—Ex 12:35–36; 14:23–28//Jos 6:24
• • presence among Israelites of aliens whose lives have been preserved—Ex 12:43–49//Jos 6:22–25
• • circumcision—Ex 12:43–49//Jos 5:2–8
• • crossing a body of water on dry ground—Ex 13:17–14:31//Jos 3
• • trouble in the camp—Ex 16–17//Jos 7
• • leader is rebuked—Ex 18:17–27 (Jethro rebukes Moses)//Jos 7:6–15 (Yahweh rebukes Joshua)
• • the consecration of Israelites the day before Yahweh’s manifestation—Ex 19:10–15//Jos 7:13
• • giving/renewal of the covenant—Ex 20//Jos 8:30–35

A. Joshua—A New Leader for Israel (1:1–9)

OVERVIEW

Joshua 1 includes three discourses, one by each of the three main characters—God, Joshua, and Israel. First, God addresses Joshua and infuses him with the drive to lead boldly and to manage courageously the huge undertaking of conquering the land (vv.1–9). Second, Joshua commands the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh to assist their brothers in the conquest of Canaan (vv.12–15). Joshua’s words are direct and his message unambiguous. Third, the fighting men’s response to Joshua confirms their loyalty to their new leader and their determination to execute fearlessly the task at hand. Based on these three “speeches,” everyone is ready for the difficult task ahead.

The beginning of the narrative reflects on the events at Mount Nebo—the death of Moses—and points forward to the imminent conquest of and settlement in the land. The introduction echoes the language of Deuteronomy and reminds the reader that the theological foundation for the conquest of the land has been laid by Moses.

Following Moses’ death, Joshua escorts Israel into a new era. He assumes his leadership role and leads Israel into the land given to her as an inheritance centuries earlier (Abram [Ge 12:7; 13:14–18; 15:7, 18–21]; Isaac [Ge 26:1–5]; Jacob [Ge 35:9–15]; Joseph [Ge 50:24]; and Moses [Ex 2:23–24; 3:8; 6:6–8; 13:15]). Before any movement of people can take place, God confirms Joshua as the new leader and commissions him to prepare the people to cross the Jordan River (1:2, 6–9). After a series of commands to “be strong and courageous” (1:6, 7, 9), Joshua orders the people to prepare for the long-awaited move into Canaan (1:10–11).

1After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2“Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. 5No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

6“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

COMMENTARY

1 The book’s opening formula provides both the link between the two great leaders—Moses and Joshua—and the official transition between their leadership. Moses had been the hero of the story for decades, and now Joshua’s turn had come to assume the headship over Israel. Joshua had followed Moses closely since his youth (Ex 33:11; Nu 11:28) and had assisted him during numerous major events (e.g., Mount Sinai, the golden calf, spying Canaan). He had observed Moses closely and taken every opportunity to be mentored by him both in glorious and in challenging times.

Joshua was a faithful and devoted servant of Yahweh. One day, after a face-to-face encounter between Yahweh and Moses at the tent of meeting, Joshua failed to return to the camp with Moses. Instead, he remained still at the entrance of the tent, unable to pry himself away from the awesomeness of the place where Yahweh had just manifested his presence (Ex 33:7–11). The reader is left to wonder what thoughts raced through Joshua’s mind as he stood there, hypnotized by what he had just witnessed in that holy place.

On another occasion, while serving Moses in the wilderness, Joshua learned of two men—Eldad and Medad—who were prophesying in the name of Yahweh. Responding in a manner typical of an unseasoned leader, Joshua reported the unusual incident to Moses and called on him to stop them from prophesying. Moses rebuked Joshua saying, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all of the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” (Nu 11:29). The account is similar to that found in Mark 9:38–39, where the apostle John tells Jesus that he saw a man driving out demons in Jesus’ name and requested that he stop doing so. Jesus replied, “Do not stop him. No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.”

2 The hardships that would accompany the leadership position were not unknown to Joshua. He had observed the people’s rebellion at the base of Sinai (Ex 32:1–6), the jealousy of the elders against their leader (Nu 12:1–2), the deep personal struggles Moses had experienced since Egypt (Nu 11:10–15), and the stubbornness of the people in the desert (Nu 14:1–4). Nonetheless, Joshua showed no sign of hesitation or wavering in accepting his new task. He received his cal...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Contributors
• Preface
• Abbreviations
• Joshua
• Introduction
• I. CONQUEST OF THE LAND (1:1—12:24)
• II. DIVIDING THE LAND (13:1–21:45)