Joshua

The Book of Joshua: Taking the Promise

Moving into the Historical Books, we begin with Joshua. This book marks the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham as the Israelites finally cross the Jordan and take possession of the land of Canaan.

Joshua: Book Overview

Total Chapters: 24
Total Verses: 658
Author: Traditionally attributed to Joshua (with the final verses regarding his death likely added by a later leader, such as Phinehas)
Date Written: Approximately 1400–1370 BC

NIV Chapter Pericopes (Sections)

Entering the Promised Land (Chapters 1–5)

Chapter 1: The Lord Commands Joshua; Joshua Gives Orders
Chapter 2: Rahab and the Spies
Chapter 3: Crossing the Jordan
Chapter 4: Two Memorials to the Jordan Crossing
Chapter 5: Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal; The Fall of Jericho (The Commander of the Lord’s Army)

Conquering the Promised Land (Chapters 6–12)

Chapter 6: The Fall of Jericho
Chapter 7: Achan’s Sin
Chapter 8: Ai Destroyed; The Covenant Renewed at Mount Ebal
Chapter 9: The Gibeonite Deception
Chapter 10: The Sun Stands Still; Five Amorite Kings Defeated; Southern Cities Conquered
Chapter 11: Northern Kings Defeated; Joshua Takes the Whole Land
Chapter 12: List of Defeated Kings

Dividing the Promised Land (Chapters 13–21)

Chapter 13: Land Still to Be Taken; Division of the Land East of the Jordan
Chapter 14: Division of the Land West of the Jordan; Caleb’s Request
Chapter 15: Allotment for Judah
Chapter 16: Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh
Chapter 17: Joshua Allots Land to the Remaining Tribes
Chapter 18: Division of the Rest of the Land; Allotment for Benjamin
Chapter 19: Allotment for Simeon; Allotment for Zebulun; Allotment for Issachar; Allotment for Asher; Allotment for Naphtali; Allotment for Dan; Allotment for Joshua
Chapter 20: Cities of Refuge
Chapter 21: Towns for the Levites

Final Words and Covenant (Chapters 22–24)

Chapter 22: Eastern Tribes Return Home; An Altar of Witness
Chapter 23: Joshua’s Farewell Address to the Leaders
Chapter 24: The Covenant Renewed at Shechem; Death and Burial

After the death of Moses, the narrative moves from the desert to the conquest. The Book of Joshua is a story of transition, military campaign, and the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham. It marks the moment Israel ceases to be a wandering people and becomes a settled nation.

The Book of Joshua is a book of victory. It demonstrates that God is faithful to His word, but it also reveals that experiencing God’s promises requires courageous faith and radical obedience.

The book is traditionally structured into four movements:

Entering the Land: Crossing the Jordan (Chapters 1–5).
Conquering the Land: The central, southern, and northern campaigns (Chapters 6–12).
Distributing the Land: Dividing the inheritance (Chapters 13–22).
Living in the Land: Joshua’s final farewell (Chapters 23–24).

I. Entering the Land (Chapters 1–5)

The book begins with a change in leadership and a miraculous entry into Canaan.

The Commission of Joshua: God commands Joshua to be “strong and courageous” and to meditate on the Law day and night (Josh 1).
Rahab and the Spies: Two spies enter Jericho and are protected by Rahab, a Canaanite woman who recognizes the power of Israel’s God (Josh 2).
Crossing the Jordan: Just as God parted the Red Sea, He parts the Jordan River, allowing Israel to walk into the Promised Land on dry ground (Josh 3–4).
Circumcision and Passover: Before the battle begins, the new generation is circumcised, and they celebrate the first Passover in the land, marking the end of the “wilderness” era (Josh 5).

II. Conquering the Land (Chapters 6–12)

The conquest is not merely a military endeavor; it is “Holy War” where God is the primary combatant.

The Fall of Jericho: A lesson in liturgical warfare. By marching around the city and shouting, the walls collapse by divine power (Josh 6).
The Sin of Achan and the Defeat at Ai: Israel suffers a defeat because one man stole forbidden loot. Once the sin is dealt with, Ai is conquered (Josh 7–8).
The Gibeonite Deception: A neighboring group tricks Joshua into a peace treaty. Though deceived, Joshua honors the oath (Josh 9).
The Sun Stands Still: During a massive battle to defend the Gibeonites, God halts the sun in the sky to give Israel time to finish the victory (Josh 10).

III. Dividing the Inheritance (Chapters 13–22)

The narrative slows down as the land is meticulously divided among the twelve tribes.

The Tribal Allotments: Descriptions of the boundaries for each tribe. Even the aging Caleb receives his mountain as a reward for his lifelong faithfulness (Josh 14).
Cities of Refuge: God establishes six cities where those who accidentally commit manslaughter can find safety from “the avenger of blood” (Josh 20).
Levitical Cities: Since the tribe of Levi has no land inheritance (the Lord is their inheritance), they are given 48 cities scattered throughout the other tribes (Josh 21).

IV. Joshua’s Farewell (Chapters 23–24)

At the end of his life, Joshua gathers all Israel at Shechem to renew their covenant with God.

The Call to Faithfulness: Joshua warns that if they serve the gods of the Canaanites, they will be driven from the land just as the Canaanites were.
The Famous Choice: Joshua issues his most iconic challenge: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh 24:15).
The Three Burials: The book ends with the burial of Joshua, the bones of Joseph (brought from Egypt), and Eleazar the priest—signifying the end of an era.