Who is joshua

Scholars believe that Joshua himself or a scribe under his direction penned most of the book. Joshua refers to Joshua writing a portion of the book himself. The events of the book of Joshua span about twenty-five years, starting soon after the death of Moses Joshua around BC, before the conquest commenced.

The book begins with the nation of Israel poised at the banks of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. It records the details of numerous military campaigns that defeated the inhabitants of the land. This history was written to the victorious Israelites who had settled the land. Joshua portrays the Lord as their general, the One who would lead His people in victorious battle if they would trust and obey. Joshua recounted a story of contradictions. On the one hand, God gave the land that He had promised to the nation.

On the other hand, the people failed to possess the land completely, allowing some inhabitants to remain. God fulfilled His side of the bargain, but the Israelites did not finish the job. The Canaanite peoples became a damaging influence on Israel as years went by.

What has he done to learn how to command? No matter. He confronts the enemy, and he wins the battle. When Moses orders him to join the spies sent to cross the Canaanite frontier and bring back a precise account of the military and economic capacities of the land promised to the people of Israel, he goes. The questionnaire the scouts receive from Moses reads like an espionage document. The expedition takes 40 days. The text gives us the opinion of the majority and that of the minority: ten against two.

Who are the ten? Eminent heads of the tribes of Israel. Their accounts are desperate and hopeless: They say the country runs with milk and honey, but the people who live there are powerful. They are stronger than we are, the towns are large and fortified, the people are gigantic. In their eyes, and in ours, we are no more than grasshoppers. The ten make up an overwhelming majority, but it is the minority of two who carry the day. Joshua, head of the tribe of Ephraim, and Caleb, head of the tribe of Judah , see things differently.

Their report is optimistic. The more enraged among them attack the two and are ready to stone them. That overwhelming, depressing day will remain marked in the collective memory of Israel by the punishment imposed: It is the moment when God decides that of all those who came out of Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb shall enter the Promised Land.

The ten skeptical scouts will die soon after, and the others rescued from slavery in Egypt will perish in the desert. In the book that bears his name, Joshua impresses us with his harshness: it depicts a violence, even a thirst for violence, that is found nowhere else.

The conquest of the land of Canaan occurs with fire and blood. Too much destruction at every turn. The only moment of tenderness in this account is the story of Rahab in Jericho. In exchange, legend gives her Joshua as bridegroom. This story is not in his official biography, which, moreover, is very meager. His father was a just man, but childless. Nun passed his days praying to God for a son, and his prayer was answered.

Moses was still alive, but very old, when Joshua was teaching the Law to the people. One day, Moses came to listen. He remained standing with the crowd. Joshua saw him and, overcome by remorse, cried out in distress. Then a celestial voice was heard: The time has come for the people to receive the teaching of Joshua.

Brokenhearted, Joshua submitted. It is because he respected and venerated his Master; he loved him. Of all his qualities, it is his attachment to Moses that moves us the most. According to the legend, Joshua was then married. He had children : only girls. Having fulfilled the mission that God and Moses had entrusted to him, Joshua retired and lived in the isolation of memory.

He was old, the text tells us, and the country rested from the wars. He died alone and was buried in a place called Har gaash—a kind of angry mountain, a sort of volcano. The Talmud comments that this illustrates the ingratitude of the people toward their leader. Why was the mountain angry? Because God, in his wrath, was ready to punish his people. Why the rage? Everyone was too busy. Some were cultivating their gardens, others their vineyards; still others watched over their fires.

Unbelievable, but how true: In war, Joshua had been their leader. Afterwards, the people no longer needed him, to the point that no one came to pay him their final respects, to which all mortal men are entitled, whoever they might be. The Book of Joshua presents the destruction of the city of Hazor. The author of more than 30 novels, plays and profiles of Biblical figures, Elie Wiesel received the Nobel Peace Prize in The article was first republished in Bible History Daily on August 9, We are pleased—and honored—to present our readers with the first of a series of insightful essays by Elie Wiesel, the world-renowned author and human rights advocate.

Wiesel is best known for his numerous books on the Holocaust and for his profiles of Biblical figures and Hasidic masters. In , he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. His occasional series for BR will focus on characters in the Bible that do not occupy center stage—those who play supporting roles. Aaron Aaron, number two in the epic that recounts the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.

He is a man of peace. He succeeds at everything. Anyone who believes God made the sun stand still in the sky is unbelievably ignorant or gullible. He is the archetypal of Christ the archetype. In Revelation we are told that when Christ returns He will be exactly like Joshua was in the conquest of Canaan.

And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.

He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Forty years have passed since millions of Israelites were delivered from Egyptian bondage under the mighty hand of Jehovah. The prophet Moses has taken the lead. Now at the age of , he views the Promised Land from a distance and then dies atop Mount Nebo.

He was also one of the twelve who were sent on by Moses to explore the land of Canaan Numbers ,17 , and only he and Caleb gave an encouraging report.

Under the direction of God , Moses , before his death, invested Joshua in a public and solemn manner with authority over the people as his successor Deuteronomy Now began the wars of conquest which Joshua carried on for many years, the record of which is in the book which bears his name.

Conquered by him were 6 nations and 31 kings Joshua ; Having subdued the Canaanites , Joshua divided the land among the tribes , Timnath-serah in Mount Ephraim being assigned to himself as his own inheritance. His work being done, he died, at the age of years, 25 years after having crossed the Jordan.