© David Staume 2007

Joshua is set in Canaan, the Jewish promised land. This book was compiled during the same time period as the first five books, and its authorship could comprise the same people.

1. Joshua takes over where Moses leaves off. Whoever rebels against Joshua is to be put to death.

2-5. Joshua sends spies into the walled city of Jericho. God stops the riverJordan from flowing so that the Israelites can cross on dry land. God decrees all who are uncircumcised be circumcised.

6-7. The Israelites arrive at Jericho. God gives instructions to march once around the walls for six days. On the seventh day they are to march around the walls seven times with the priests blowing their trumpets, then, when the whole army shouts, the walls will collapse. The walls duly collapse and the Israelites kill every man, woman, and child, and all the livestock, then burn the whole city after plundering all the gold, silver, and bronze, which is to go into the 'Lord's Treasury', that is, to the priests. Some defy this order and God punishes the Israelites by making their attempt to seize the city of Ai, unsuccessful. One man, Achan, who defies the order to give the plunder to the priests is stoned and burned. More hatred and bloodshed in the name of God. In Numbers, a man carrying wood on the Sabbath day is stoned to death, while here the Israelites murder every man, woman, and child in Jericho, on the seventh day, and this is acceptable. Archaeological records suggests that Jericho was thoroughly destroyed during the sixteenth century BCE, and that it had neither walls nor residents in Joshua's time. It was subsequently repopulated in the seventh century BCE.

8-12. The next attempt to take Ai is successful, and all the inhabitants are killed. Joshua impales the body of the King of Ai on a pole. The Gibeonites deceive Joshua into making a treaty with them so they won't be killed. The Gibeonites are attacked by the Amorites. Joshua comes to the aid of the Gibeonites and defeats them, aided by God who hurls hailstones. The sun and the moon stop in the sky at Joshua's request. Joshua impales the five Amorite kings. A long list of cities razed, land taken, and people killed by Joshua's forces. The Israelites kill 'anyone that breathes'.

13-24. A list of the allocations of land amongst the tribes of Israel. Joshua reminds the Israelites to obey God, to neither rebel nor sin, before he dies.

Hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children killed because God promises the land of Canaan as an inheritance to the Israelites. Joshua is a story of hatred and violence perpetrated by fanatics.

Back to Deuteronomy. Forward to Judges.