Keith Essex
Part IX: Joshua

Keith Essex's correlating video lecture(s) from The Master's Seminary:

• Lecture 17: Introduction and Themes of Joshua;
• Lecture 18: The Purpose and Interpretive Issues of Joshua, Part I; and
• Lecture 19: Interpretive Issues of Joshua, Part II.

9. Joshua [MSB, 298-9; ESVSB, 389-93; BTSB, 345-49; NIVSB, 324-29; HWSOT, 216-33; WOTA, 172-85; LDIOT, 120-32; DOTHB, 563]
   1. Introduction
      1. Title (W&W, 278-79)
         1. Hebrew: "Yehoshua" ["The Lord is Salvation"]
         2. LXX: "Iesous"
      2. Date of Events:
         • From the Death of Moses (1406 BC)
         • to the Death of the Elders associated with Joshua (1375 BC)
      3. The Continuing Impact: "to this day" (Jos 4:9; 5:9; 8:28, 29; 9:27; 10:27; 13:13; 14:14; 15:63; 16:10)
      4. The History of Interpretation [DTIB, 404-5; Butler, xxvii-xxxviii; Hess, 31-42; ACCSOT, vol. IV]
   2. Major Themes [see W&W, 284-87; NIDOTTE, 4:810-19]
      1. The Land (Jos 1-15; 17-19; 21; 24 [106x]) [see Woudstra; Butler; Hess; Howard; Hubbard; NMBA, 116-30; ESVBA, 101-9]
         1. The Land Conquered (Jos 10:40; 11:16, 23; 21:43-45) [CBCOT, 38]
         2. The Land Remaining (Jos 13:1-7; 17:17-18; 18:3; 23:4, 5, 13)
         3. The Failure to Conquer (Jos 15:63; 16:10; 17:12-13)
      2. The Possession (Jos 1:11, 15; 12:1; 13:1; 18:3; 19:47; 21:43; 23:5; 24:4, 8) /
         Dispossession (Jos 3:10; 8:7; 13:6, 12, 13; 14:12; 15:14, 63; 16:10; 17:12, 13, 18; 23:5, 9, 13) of the Land [see NIDOTTE, 2:547-49; 3:77-81]
      3. Law (Jos 1:7, 8; 8:31, 32, 34; 22:5; 23:6; 24:26) [see DOTHB, 643-50]
      4. The Obedience (Jos 1-6; 8; 10-12; 13-14; 20-21)
         and Disobedience (Jos 7; 9; 15; 16; 17; 22-24) of Israel.
      5. Moses / Joshua [W&W, 279; NIDOTTE, 4:808-9; DOTHB, 559-62]
         MOSES / JOSHUA

         Joshua was like Moses. He had the presence of Yahweh (Jos 1:5) and was obeyed like Moses (Jos 1:17). He was sanctified before Israel like Moses (Jos 3:7; 4:14). Specific examples include:

         Moses

         Joshua

         Encounter with Yahweh

         Exodus 3:5

         Joshua 5:15

         Miraculous Water Crossing

         Exodus 14

         Joshua 3-4

         - water in a heap

         Exodus 14:22

         Joshua 3:16

         - dry ground

         Exodus 14:22

         Joshua 3:17

         Intercession for Sinning People

         Deut 9:25-29

         Joshua 7:7-9

         Written Law on Stones

         Deut 10:1-2

         Joshua 8:32

         Yahweh Listened to his Voice

         Deut 9:19

         Joshua 10:14

         Enemy's Heart Was Hardened

         Exodus 9:12

         Joshua 11:20
   3. Purpose:
      • Yahweh gave the Land of Canaan to Israel through Holy War in accordance with His promise to Abraham and Israel dwelt in part of the Land according to her faithful obedience to Yahweh. (W&W, 279)
   4. The Literary Structure (W&W, 279-82; DOTHB, 563-65)
      1. The Literary Chart for Joshua
         Taking the Land

         Entering the Land

         Jos 1:1–Jos 5:12

         Conquering the Land

         • Jericho
         • Ai
         • [Jerusalem]
         • Hazor

         Jos 5:13–Jos 12:24
         Distributing the Land

         The Remaining Land

         Jos 13:1-7

         Apportioning the Land

         Jos 13:8–Jos 21:42

         The Land Given

         Jos 21:43-45
         Retaining the Land

         Three Challenges Concerning the Land

         Jos 22:1–Jos 24:28

         Three Burials in the Land

         Jos 24:29-33
      2. The Outline of Joshua
         1. The Taking of the Land of Canaan [as promised to Abraham] (Jos 1:1–Jos 12:24)
            1. The Crossing into the Land (Jos 1:1–Jos 5:12)
               1. The Commissioning of Joshua (Jos 1:1-18)
               2. The Spies and the King of Jericho (Jos 2:1-24)
               3. The Crossing of the Jordan River (Jos 3:1–Jos 4:24; cf. Ex 14:1-31)
               4. The Circumcision of the Second Generation of Israel (Jos 5:1-12)
            2. The Conquest of the Land (Jos 5:13–Jos 12:24)
               1. The Battle for Jericho (Jos 5:13–Jos 6:27)
               2. The Battles for Ai (Jos 7:1–Jos 8:29)
               3. The Reading of the Book of the Law of Moses (Jos 8:30-35; cf. Deut 27:1-8)
               4. The Southern Campaign (Jos 9:1–Jos 10:43)
               5. The Northern Campaign (Jos 11:1-15)
               6. A Summary of Joshua's Conquest (Jos 11:16-23)
               7. A List of the Thirty-One Kings Defeated by Moses and Joshua (Jos 12:1-24)
         2. The Distribution of the Land of Canaan to the Tribes of Israel (Jos 13:1–Jos 21:45)
            1. The Land Remaining to Be Conquered (Jos 13:1-7)
            2. The Allotment of the Land (Jos 13:8–Jos 21:42)
               1. The Allotments to the 2½ Tribes East of the Jordan (Jos 13:8-33; cf. Num 32:1-42)
               2. The Allotments to 2½ Tribes Given at Gilgal (Jos 14:1–Jos 17:18)
               3. The Allotments to 7 Tribes Given at Shiloh (Jos 18:1–Jos 19:51)
               4. The Appointment of the Cities of Refuge (Jos 20:1-9)
               5. The Allotments of Cities and Lands to the Levites (Jos 21:1-42)
            3. A Summary: The Faithfulness of the Lord to His Promise to Give the Land (Jos 21:43-45)
         3. Appendices: Three Challenges concerning the Land and Three Burials in the Land (Jos 22:1–Jos 24:33)
            1. The Three Challenges: Serving the Lord in the Land (Jos 22:1–Jos 24:28)
               1. The Challenge of the Eastern 2½ Tribes Altar (Jos 22:1-34)
               2. The Challenge of Joshua to the Leaders of Israel (Jos 23:1-16)
               3. The Challenge Joshua to the Tribes of Israel (Jos 24:1-28)
            2. The Three Burials in the Land (Jos 24:29-33)
               1. The Burial of Joshua (Jos 24:29-31)
               2. The Burial of the Bones of Joseph (Jos 24:32; cf. Gen 50:22-26)
               3. The Burial of Eleazar (Jos 24:33)
   5. Bibliography
      1. Exegetical:
         • Butler, Joshua (WBC).
      2. English Interpretation:
         • Hess, Joshua (TOTC).
         • *Howard, Jr., Joshua (NAC).
         • Woudstra, The Book of Joshua (NICOT).
      3. Expositional:
         • *Davis, Joshua: No Falling Words.
         • Hubbard, Jr., Joshua (NIVAC).
         • Jackman, Joshua (PTW).
   6. Selected Interpretive Problems
      1. The Nature of Israel's Conquest [ESVSB, 390; MKP, 110-47; GTS, 138-59; Howard, 31-50; Hubbard, 35-42; see also NIDOTTE, 4:457-60, 487-90; DOTHB, 60-79; 425-34, 569-72; W&W, 281]
         1. Unified Military Conquest
         2. Peaceful Infiltration / The Traditio-Historical Model
         3. Peasants' Revolt / The Sociological Model
         4. Agricultural Resettlement / The "Emergence of Israel" Model
      2. The Canaanite Genocide [see W&W, 283-84; Cowles, Merrill, Gard, & Longman, Show Them No Mercy: 4 Views on God and Canaanite Genocide; Howard, 180-87; Hubbard, 42-48; NIDOTTE, 2:276-7; ESVSB, 390-91; BTSB, 348]
         1. Radical Discontinuity
         2. Moderate Discontinuity
         3. Eschatological Continuity
         4. Spiritual Continuity
      3. The Land Promise of the Abrahamic Covenant (Jos 1:2-4; 13:2-6; cf. Gen 12:7; 13:14-17; 15:18-21; 17:7-8; Num 34:1-15; Deut 1:7-8; 19:8-10) [MSB, 324; ESVSB, 426; Hess, 284-86; Howard, 77-81; DOTHB, 316-28, 638-43, 967-71; MSJ, 23:1 (Spring, 2012): 55-83; MSJ, 24:1 (Spring, 2013): 69-96; BSac, 138:552 (Oct, 1981): 302-12; BSac, 142:568 (Oct, 1985): 320-37; TB, 61:1 (2010): 89-104]
         1. Completely Fulfilled (Jos 21:43-45; cf. Jos 10:40-42; 11:16-23; 23:1)
         2. Not Completely Fulfilled
            • Yahweh Gave Israel the Land
            • Israel Failed to Completely and Continually Possess the Land
      4. The Lie of Rahab [MSB, 301; ESVSB, 396; BTSB, 351; Howard; 106-12; NIDOTTE, 4:1123-6]
         1. Faith Commended; Lie Not Condoned [Hess (?); Howard; BKC]
         2. Lie (lesser sin) in Response to Rebellion against God (greater sin)
         3. Deceit a Part of the Ethics of War [EBC1]
         4. Rahab's Words Need Not Be Called a Lie [Woudsta (?)]
         5. Emphasis of the Narrative Is on Rahab's Testimony, not her Lie [Davis]
      5. The Long Day (Jos 10:12-14) [MSB, 310-11; ESVSB, 410; BTSB, 363; Howard, 241-9]
         1. Literal [Woudstra; Hess (?); Davis; BKC]
            1. The Earth Stopped Rotating
            2. The Sun's Light Lingered
            3. The Sun's Light Was Blocked
            4. A Special Sign Was Involved
         2. Figurative [Howard]
   7. Preaching Joshua

Used with permission by Dr. Keith Essex. Redistribution without express permission from Dr. Keith Essex is prohibited.