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Guide to Joshua

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The Book of Joshua

/ Guide to Joshua

Statistics

Statistics

6th book in the Bible
24 chapters
658 verses
18,854 words

 

Bible Statistics

Genre

History

The history tells of Israel’s battles, rulers, prosperity, and lessons learned through God’s providence.

 

Biblical Genres

Author

Unknown

 

 

 

Biblical Authorship

Time Covered

1406–1375 B.C.*

*All Dates Are Approximate, according to the narrative of the Bible. These dates may reflect literary significance as opposed to the precise dates of history.

Biblical Chronology

Summary

The book of Joshua is named for the principal leader of Israel during the conquest of Canaan and successor to Moses. Joshua primarily details the conquest of the promised land and the victories of the Lord in giving the land to his chosen people; in Joshua, it is the Lord who leads Israel in battle and only through obedience to him can they truly claim the promised blessings offered to them. The book of Joshua also portrays the titular Joshua as performing the same miracles and functions that Moses did to underscore his prophetic leadership and responsibility over Israel. Joshua can be divided into four parts: (1) entering the promised land in Joshua 1–5; (2) the conquest of Canaan in Joshua 6–12; (3) the division of the promised land among the tribes of Israel in Joshua 13–22; and (4) Joshua’s final speeches to Israel before his death and burial in Joshua 23–24.

Old Testament Minute: Joshua
Book Outline

Chapter 1

  • Joshua Is Called to Lead Israel (Joshua 1:1–9)
  • The Israelites Prepare to Cross the Jordan River (Joshua 1:10–18)

Chapter 2

  • Rahab Aids Joshua’s Spies in Jericho (Joshua 2:1–24)

Chapter 3

  • The Israelites Cross the Jordan on Dry Ground (Joshua 3:1–17)

Chapter 4

  • A Memorial is Set Up in Remembrance of Their Crossing (Joshua 4:1–14)
  • The Priests Cross and the Jordan Resumes Its Course (Joshua 4:15–18)
  • Joshua Speaks about the Memorial They Built (Joshua 4:19–24)

Chapter 5

  • The Israelites Are Circumcised (Joshua 5:1–9)
  • The Passover Is Kept at Gilgal (Joshua 5:10–12)
  • Joshua Sees the Captain of the Lord’s Host (Joshua 5:13–15)

Chapter 6

  • The Israelites March around Jericho for Seven Days (Joshua 6:1–19)
  • The Israelites Take Jericho (Joshua 6:20–27)

Chapter 7

  • The Lord’s Anger Is Kindled over Achan’s Sin (Joshua 7:1)
  • The Armies of Ai Defeat the Israelites (Joshua 7:2–5)
  • The Lord Reveals Achan’s Sin to Joshua (Joshua 7:6–15)
  • Achan and His Household Are Slain (Joshua 7:16–26)

Chapter 8

  • The Israelites Take the City of Ai (Joshua 8:1–29)
  • The Israelites Renew the Sinai Covenant (Joshua 8:30–35)

Chapter 9

  • The Gibeonites Trick the Israelites into an Oath of Peace (Joshua 9:1–15)
  • Because of the Oath, the Gibeonites Are Spared (Joshua 9:16–27)

Chapter 10

  • Five Armies Go to War against the Gibeonites (Joshua 10:1–6)
  • The Israelites Battle the Amorites and Miraculously Win (Joshua 10:7–15)
  • The Five Kings Are Slain and the Armies Pursued (Joshua 10:16–27)
  • The Israelites Conquer Many Cities (Joshua 10:28–43)

Chapter 11

  • The Northern Cities Unite against the Israelites (Joshua 11:1–15)
  • Joshua Took the Whole Land (Joshua 11:16–23)

Chapter 12

  • A List of the Kings That Moses Conquered (Joshua 12:1–6)
  • A List of the Kings That Joshua Conquered (Joshua 12:7–24)

Chapter 13

  • The Lord Describes Land Yet to Be Conquered (Joshua 13:1–7)
  • The Land East of the Jordan Is Divided for an Inheritance (Joshua 13:8–33)

Chapter 14

  • The Land West of the Jordan Is Divided for an Inheritance (Joshua 14:1–5)
  • Caleb Is Given Hebron for His Covenantal Faithfulness (Joshua 14:6–15)

Chapter 15

  • The Land of Judah Is Described (Joshua 15:1–12)
  • Caleb Receives His Inheritance (Joshua 15:13–19)
  • The Towns of Judah Are Listed (Joshua 15:20–62)
  • Jebusites Remain in the Land (Joshua 15:63)

Chapter 16

  • The Lands of Ephraim and Mannaseh Are Described (Joshua 16:1–9)
  • Canaanites Remain in the Land (Joshua 16:10)

Chapter 17

  • Manasseh’s Western Lot of Land Is Described (Joshua 17:1–13)
  • The Tribes of Joseph Are Promised Additional Land (Joshua 17:14–18)

Chapter 18

  • The Tabernacle Is Set Up at Shiloh (Joshua 18:1–2)
  • The Rest of the Land Is Divided (Joshua 18:3–10)
  • Benjamin’s Territory Is Described (Joshua 18:11–28)

Chapter 19

  • Simeon’s Territory Is Described (Joshua 19:1–9)
  • Zebulon’s Territory Is Described (Joshua 19:10–16)
  • Isaachar’s Territory Is Described (Joshua 19:17–23)
  • Asher’s Territory Is Described (Joshua 19:24–31)
  • Naphtali’s Territory Is Described (Joshua 19:32–39)
  • Dan’s Territory Is Described (Joshua 19:40–48)
  • Joshua Is Given an Inheritance (Joshua 19:49–51)

Chapter 20

  • Six Cities of Refuge Are Established (Joshua 20:1–9)

Chapter 21

  • The Levites Receive Cities as an Inheritance in the Land (Joshua 21:1–42)
  • The Lord’s Promise Is Fulfilled (Joshua 21:43–45)

Chapter 22

  • The Eastern Tribes Receive Their Inheritance (Joshua 22:1–9)
  • The Eastern Tribes Build an Altar of Memorial (Joshua 22:10–12)
  • The Western Tribes Misunderstand the Altar’s Purpose (Joshua 22:13–20)
  • The Eastern Tribes Explain the Altar’s Memorial Role (Joshua 22:21–29)
  • All of Israel Praises God (Joshua 22:30–34)

Chapter 23

  • Joshua Offers a Covenantal Farewell Address to the Israelites (Joshua 23:1–11)
  • Joshua Exhorts the People Not to Turn to Idolatry (Joshua 23:12–16)

Chapter 24

  • The Israelites Renew Their Covenant (Joshua 24:1–28)
  • Joshua and Eleazer Die and Are Buried (Joshua 24:29–33)

Videos

Watch selected videos on this book of the Bible to enhance your study. Note: Not all videos included come from a Latter-day Saint perspective. Inclusion on this list should not imply endorsement for all content.

Overview: Joshua

BibleProject

Joshua: a Quick Overview | Whiteboard Bible Study

OverviewBible

Come Follow Me Insights - Joshua: Walls of Jericho

Book of Mormon Central

Come Follow Me - The Book of Joshua: "Choose You This Day"

Unshaken

Historical Settings

Main People

Read bios of the people in this book.

See all People

LORD

Jan van 't Hoff, "The Covenant Renewal," Gospel Images.

Moses

Place Holder

Israel, Israelites, or Children of Israel

Place Holder

Israel, Priests of

Place Holder

Aaron, Sons of

Place Holder

Joshua

Main Places

Read about places mentioned in this book.

See all People

Jericho

View from Mount Tabor, 2019. Photo by Bahnfrend via Wikimedia Commons.

Canaan, The Land of

Wilderness of the Wandering

Time

*All Dates Are Approximate, according to the narrative of the Bible. These dates may reflect literary significance as opposed to the precise dates of history.

See Biblical Chronology
  • 1406–1375 B.C.*

Further Reading

Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, “Did Joshua ‘Utterly Destroy’ the Canaanites?” Interpreter Foundation, May 10, 2018.

Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Dana M. Pike, and David Rolph Seely, Jehovah and the World of the Old Testament: An Illustrated Reference for Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 2009), 148-169.

John M. Lundquist, “The Israelite Conquest of Canaan (Joshua),” in Studies in Scripture, vol. 3: Genesis to 2 Samuel, ed. Kent P. Jackson and Robert L. Millet (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1989), 225-238.

Stanley A. Peterson, “As for Me and My House, We Will Serve the Lord,” in Old Testament Symposium Speeches (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1988).

John A. Widtsoe, “Are the Early Books of the Bible (the Pentateuch and Joshua) Historically Correct?” Improvement Era 42 (Sept. 1939).

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