An Overview of Joshua

by David Gooding

The biblical authors used the literary conventions of their day to convey their message. These included structures and patterns less obvious to us in our modern age. David Gooding brought his expertise in ancient literature to the biblical text, and these study notes represent his thinking about the structure, patterns and thought-flow of Joshua.

When speaking to groups of Bible students, he often said, ‘When it comes to Bible study, there is structure, pattern and thought-flow, and the greatest of these is thought-flow. Here are the thoughts of God expressed. Our job is to follow the thought-flow’. He taught that the most important thing to grasp in biblical interpretation is the way the author develops his message, and that discerning structure and patterns within the text should always be directed towards that end.

David Gooding developed these study notes over many years and distributed them at public and private talks. The study notes are not meant to be the last word on the book, and may not cover it entirely. The Myrtlefield Trust offers them to Bible students, preachers and teachers in order to stimulate further thinking about the book, so that its message may be better understood.

Available Formats

---

Study Notes

The Book of Joshua—Table of Contents

Joshua 1:1–4:24	Joshua 5:1–8:35	Joshua 9:1–12:24	Joshua 13:1–18:1	Joshua 18:2–21:45	Joshua 22:1–24:33
1. The command to cross Jordan	1. Preliminary exercises	1. Covenant of salvation with the Gibeonites	1. Assignment of inheritance to the 2½ tribes	1. Division of land for the 7 tribes	1. The 2½ tribes return to their inheritance and build an altar at Jordan
2. Rahab’s conversion	2. Destruction of Jericho and Rahab’s salvation	2. Attack of Southern Confederacy on the Gibeonites	2. Assignment of inheritance to Judah, the major Southern tribe	2. Provision of cities of refuge	2. Joshua’s first address to Israel’s leaders Josh 23
3. The passage through Jordan	3. Judgment on Achan and destruction of Ai	3. Attack of Northern Confederacy on Joshua and Israel	3. Assignment of inheritance to Joseph, the major Northern tribe	3. Provision of cities for the Levites	3. Joshua’s second address Josh 24
Objective Achieved	Objective Achieved	Objective Achieved	Objective Achieved	Objective Achieved	Objective To Be Aimed At
The bringing of Israel into their God-given inheritance	The establishment of the Law of God in Canaan	The putting down of all rule and authority. REST	Setting up of the TENT OF MEETING IN SHILOH	Provision for maintaining God’s service and for the salvation of those in danger	Uninterrupted service of the Lord

An Overview of Joshua's Two Parts

Part 1 (Josh 1:1–12:24)

Joshua's exploits and battles as commander-in-chief of the united armies of the twelve tribes

Part 2 (Josh 13:1–24:33)

Joshua in old age distributes their territories to the individual tribes, counsels their elders, leaders and officials, and delivers his farewell address

A Dominant Theme in Joshua

Section One: 'That you will save alive my father, mother, brothers, sisters and all they have, and will deliver our lives from death' (Josh 2:13).

Section Two: 'Rahab shall live, she and all that are with her in the house . . . But Rahab and her father's household, and all that she had, did Joshua save alive . . .' (Josh 6:17, 25).

Section Three: 'And Joshua . . . made a covenant with them to let them live . . . the princes said . . . This will we do to them and let them live . . . Let them live.' (Josh 9:15, 19-21).

Section Four: Caleb: 'The Lord has kept me alive . . . these forty-five years' (Josh 14:10; contrast those who died in the wilderness).

Section Five: Cities of refuge: that the accidental homicide 'might flee there and not die.' (Josh 20:9).

Section Six: 'Today we know the Lord is among us, because you have not committed this trespass against the Lord: now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord.' (Josh 22:31).

The First Phase of Israel\'s Entry into Canaan (Joshua 1:1–12:24)

Joshua 1:1–4:24	Joshua 5:1–8:35	Joshua 9:1–12:24
OBJECTIVE To bring Israel into inheritance	OBJECTIVE To establish the Law of God in Canaan	OBJECTIVE To put down all rule and authority
OBSTACLE River Jordan in flood	OBSTACLE Jericho / Ai	OBSTACLE Southern / Northern Confederacies
MIRACLE Passage through Jordan	MIRACLE Walls of Jericho brought down	MIRACLE Stones from heaven; Sun and moon stand still
OBJECTIVE ACHIEVED Josh 3:17; 4:10; 23	OBJECTIVE ACHIEVED Josh 8:26; 30–35	OBJECTIVE ACHIEVED Josh 10:13; 11:10–23

Objective 1 Achieved: Crossing Jordan

1. 'The priests bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua' (Josh 4:10).
2. 'The two-and-a-half tribes passed over . . . as Moses told them to' (Josh 4:12).
3. 'All Israel . . . feared Joshua as they feared Moses, all the days of his life' (Josh 4:14).

Objective 2 Achieved: Establishing the Law

'At that time Joshua built an altar . . . on Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded . . . as . . . in the book of the law of Moses . . . he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses . . . just as Moses . . . had commanded . . . There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all . . . Israel' (Josh 8:30–35).

Objective 3 Achieved: The Destruction of the Kings

'All the cities . . . and all their kings Joshua captured . . . devoting them to destruction just as Moses . . . had commanded . . . Just as the Lord had commanded Moses . . . so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua . . . left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses . . . no mercy . . . just as the Lord commanded Moses . . . Joshua took the whole land according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses' (Josh 11:12, 15, 20, 23).

The Three Narrative Sections of the First Phase of Israel's Entry into Canaan

Section One (Josh 1:1–4:34)

From: God's command to Joshua: Arise go over Jordan, you and all this people (Josh 1:1–2). To: The three-fold description of how the crossing was accomplished (Josh 3:1–4:24).

Section Two (Josh 5:1–8:35)

From: The reaction of the kings to the news that the Lord had dried up the Jordan (Josh 5:1). To: The destruction of Jericho and Ai (plus Bethel?) that cleared the way for Israel to go and establish the law at Ebal and Gerizim (Josh 6:1–8:29; 8:30–35).

Section Three (Josh 9:1–12:24)

From: The reaction of the Canaanite kings to the destruction of Jericho and Ai, and to the ceremony at Ebal/Gerizim. To: The destruction of the kings and inhabitants of both the southern and the northern confederacy.

Contents of Section One (Joshua 1:1–4:24)

Preparatory Commandments (Josh 1:1–18)

1. God's charge to Joshua (Josh 1:1–9).
2. Joshua's response (Josh 1:10–11).
3. Joshua's charge to the two-and-a-half tribes (Josh 1:12–15).
4. Their response (Josh 1:16–18).

The obedient captain expects obedience from his followers.

Rahab's Justification by Faith and Justification by Works (Josh 2:1–24)

1. Her former manner of life: pleasure without love, love without loyalty.
2. Her turning to God from idols.
3. An example of salvation: save alive my family and deliver our lives from death.
4. Her 'loyalty' to the spies; she discovers security in God's 'loyalty' to her, expressed in his oath.
5. She waited for the coming of Joshua, her deliverer from the coming wrath.

The Threefold Description of the Crossing of Jordan (Josh 3:1–4:24)

1. The wonder of it (Josh 3:1–17).
2. The memorial of it (Josh 4:1–14).
3. The historical significance of it (Josh 4:15–24).

Contents of Section Two (Joshua 5:1–8:35)

The Preparation of Israel to be the Executors of God's Judgment (Josh 5:1–15)

1. Circumcision.
2. Passover.
3. Eating unleavened cakes.
4. The coming of the captain of the Lord's hosts.

The Destruction of Jericho (Josh 6:1–27)

1. Key: the ark of the Lord of all the earth, having gone down into Jordan and come up again, circles Jericho for a week; warning that its walls will not keep God out.
2. Rahab and family saved alive (Josh 6:17, 22–23, 25).
3. Israel warned: take the devoted thing and the camp will become accursed (Josh 6:18).
4. Cursed be the man who rebuilds Jericho (Josh 6:26).

The Achan-Ai Incident (Josh 7:1–8:29)

1. Israel's self-judgment and repudiation of Achan's sin; so delivering itself from the curse of the broken covenant.
2. Achan, who 'troubled' Israel, is 'troubled'. A heap of stones becomes a permanent warning.
3. Victory over Ai achieved by 're-enacting' the original defeat.
4. The King of Ai hanged (and therefore cursed).

The Establishment of the Law at Ebal/Gerizim (Josh 8:30–35)

1. An altar and sacrifices: the law written on the altar.
2. Its blessings and its cursings.

Common Vocabulary in Section Two of Joshua and the New Testament

1. The establishment of the Law: commanded by Moses; achieved by Joshua (Josh 8:30–35).	1. What the law could not do … God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us (Rom 8:3–4).
2. Relationship of circumcision (Josh 5:2–9) to Israel’s entry into the inheritance (Josh 3–4).	2. Relationship between circumcision and the inheritance (Rom 4:13–16; Gal 3:15–29).
3. The curse (ḥerem) on Jericho, Achan, and Israel (Josh 6:17, 18; 7:12).	3. The curse (anathēma/ḥerem) on those who preach another gospel (Gal 1:8–9).
4. Achan troubled Israel (Josh 6:18; 7:25–26).	4. There are some who trouble you (Gal 1:7; 5:10, 12; 6:17).
5. The blessing and the curses of the Law (Josh 8:33–34).	5. For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse. . . Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. . . so that. . . the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles (Gal 3:10–14).
6. He hanged the king of Ai on a tree (Josh 8:29).	6. Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree (Gal 3:13)
7. Curse pronounced on any who rebuild Jericho (Josh 6:26).	7. For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor (Gal 2:18).
8. Victory over: _a_. Jericho _b_. Ai	8. The cross by which: _a_. the world is crucified to me _b_. and I to the world
9. Circumcision the second time (Josh 5:2)	9. The spiritual meaning of circumcision (Phil 3:3).

Contents of Section Three (Joshua 9:1–12:24)

Steps Taken by Gibeonites to Escape God's Judgment (Josh 9:1–27)

1. They persuade Israel to make a covenant with them to let them live, on the supposed grounds that they came from afar off.
2. Their motive: they had heard what Moses said (Josh 9:24; cf. Deut 20).
3. Evidence that they were genuinely prepared to accept the terms laid down by Moses (Josh 9:8, 24–27).
4. They continued as servants to the altar and to Israel for centuries (see 2 Sam 21).

For Converting to Israel and Israel's God the Gibeonites are Attacked by the Southern Kings (Josh 10:1–14)

But God intervenes and saves them by hailstones from heaven, and causing sun and moon to stand still until Israel took vengeance on enemies.

The Five Kings Attempt to Escape Judgment by Hiding in a Cave (Josh 10:16–43)

But they are discovered, executed, hanged on five trees, then thrown into a cave with great-stones placed on its mouth. All their cities are then taken and their inhabitants slain.

Israel Attacked by Confederacy of Northern Kings (Josh 11:1–12:24)

They were hardened to come against Israel, so that Joshua might destroy them as the Lord commanded Moses (Josh 11:20)

Similarities and Contrasts Between Sections Two and Three

Section Two	Section Three
Preparations of Israel to be the executors of God’s judgment	Steps taken by the Gibeonites to escape God’s judgment
Key to the destruction of Jericho: the ark of God of all the earth coming up out of Jordan	Key to the rescue of Gibeon and the destruction of their attackers: God sending down judgment from heaven and causing the sun and moon to stand still so that nothing escaped
The Achan-Ai Incident; Israel’s self-judgment and repudiation of Achan; Ai’s king defeated and hanged	The attempt by the five kings to escape judgment by hiding in a cave. They are discovered, and all five hanged. ‘So shall the Lord do to all your enemies’ (Josh 10:25).
The law of Moses established, written on the altar of sacrifices	The Gibeonites sought and found mercy. The southern and northern kings could have done the same. But they refused. They were then hardened, so that they attacked Israel, and were destroyed as the Lord commanded Moses (Josh 11:20).

Contents of Section Four (Joshua 13:1–18:1)

The Problem

Joshua now old; yet very much land remains to be possessed (Josh 13:1–6).

The Solution

1. Allot this land to the nine-and-a-half tribes, and trust God's promise to drive out the inhabitants (Josh 13:6–7).
2. The affirmation of the inheritance given by Moses to the two-and-a-half tribes east of Jordan (Josh 13:8–33).

Judah's Inheritance (Josh 14:1–15:63)

1. Caleb asks for what Moses swore in God's name to give him. God has kept him alive to enjoy the fulfilment of the promise. The request is granted (Josh 14:6–15).
2. Othniel fights to gain possession of Kiriath-sepher. He thereby gains a bride. He and she ask for more, and Caleb grants the request (Josh 15:17–19).

The Inheritance of the Joseph Tribes (Josh 16:1–17:18)

1. Zelophehad's daughters claim what the Lord commanded Moses to grant them. Their claim is granted (Josh 17:3–6).
2. The Joseph tribes ask for more, but are told they must get more by working hard and developing what they already have (Josh 17:14–18).

The Setting up of the Tent of Meeting at Shiloh (Josh 18:1)

1. With the allocation of land to Ephraim and Manasseh this now becomes possible.
2. The land lay subdued before them.

Contents of Section Five (Joshua 18:2–21:45)

The Problem

There remained seven tribes which had not yet divided their inheritance because of sheer slackness (Josh 18:2–3).

The Solution

Appoint three men from each tribe: survey the land, write description in a book, divide it into seven parts, assemble before tent of meeting, and cast lots for them before the Lord (Josh 18:4–10).

1. The lots for the seven tribes, plus a city for Joshua (Josh 18:11–19:51).
2. The cities of refuge, spoken of by God through Moses, must now be appointed (Josh 20:1–9).
3. The priests and Levites ask the tribes to assign to them the cities which the Lord commanded the tribes through Moses to give them (Josh 21:1–42).

'So the Lord gave to Israel all the land which He swore to give to their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt in it. And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he swore unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. Nothing failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass' (Josh 21:43–45).

Contents of Section Six (Joshua 22:1–24:33)

Three Stories

1. The near-battle between the tribes settled west of Jordan and those settled east (Josh 22:1–34).
2. Joshua's first address to the leaders (Josh 23:1–16).
3. Joshua's second address to the leaders (Josh 24:1–27).

Three 'Difficulties' in the Way of Serving The Lord

1. Undue and unjustified charges of heresy.
2. Israel's perilous tendency to idolatry.
3. You cannot serve the Lord: for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God (Josh 24:19).

The Cure

1. The 'pattern of the altar': the test and witness of orthodoxy (Josh 22:28, 34).
2. Deliberate love of the Lord that leads to keeping his commandments (Josh 23:6, 11).
3. Definite choice to serve the Lord confirmed by a covenant and witnessed to by the memorial stone, called Ed (Josh 24:21–27; see 22:34).

Similarities and Contrasts Between Section One and Six

Section One	Section Six
Joshua calls on the two-and-a-half tribes loyally to cross Jordan and fight in the vanguard of Israel until all the tribes are victorious. The two-and-a-half tribes readily agree (Josh 1).	Joshua gives leave to the two-and-a-half tribes to go back east of Jordan; but the western tribes come near to destroying them for what they misinterpret as heresy (Josh 22).
Rahab, converted from harlotry and idolatry, is taken into Israel and becomes an ancestress of Christ (Josh 2; 6).	Israel is warned not to wander in heart from the true God, and commit the sin of spiritual adultery in going after pagan deities (Josh 23).
The memorial stones on the west bank of the Jordan put Israel’s crossing of the Jordan into its historical perspective of the parting of the Red Sea (Josh 4:21–24).	In his final address Joshua puts Israel’s recent experience into the historical perspective of Abraham’s call from idolatry ‘beyond the river’, into Canaan, into Egypt, and out via the Red Sea, and in via Jordan to the promised land (Josh 23).

---