Joshua

The book of Joshua, coming after Deuteronomy, presents the continuation of the journey of the Israelites after the death of Moses. Beginning with the first chapters of the book, the character that the book is named after is introduced to us: Joshua the son of Nun. Read on to find out who made the conquest of Canaan possible and 7 beautiful bible passages from this book in the Old Testament!

Who is Joshua in the Bible?

Joshua and Caleb

As they camped in the desert of Paran, the Lord instructed Moses to send twelve men as spies to Canaan. On their return from mission, only Caleb and Hosea, whom Moses named Joshua, brought good news and encouraged the people to begin to conquer this new territory. As a result, Joshua and Caleb were the only two of their generation to survive the desert test and enter the promised land, Canaan.

Joshua, servant of Moses

Joshua, the son of Nun, is presented to us in the Old Testament as Moses’s second-in-command. Indeed, it is written: "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.” (Exodus 33:11). During Moses’s life, Joshua served him with goodness and loyalty. That is how, after the death of Moses, Joshua succeeded him as the leader of the people of Israel. This transfer of power was agreed to by God, since it is written that: “And the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.” (Joshua 3:7)

The Trumpets of Jericho

When they arrived in Jericho, the Israelites could neither enter nor leave because the city was closed. Joshua was then instructed by the Lord to circle the city with the ark of the Covenant, the priests, and the people for seven days, and on the seventh day, to sound the trumpets and to cry for joy. On the seventh day, after marching around the city seven times, “When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.” (Joshua 6:20)
(Learn more about this bible passage)

The Meaning of Canaan According to the Bible

Canaan is first the land that was populated by the descendants of Ham, west of the Jordan River. In biblical symbolism, this territory represents the land promised by God to his people in Psalms 104:11: “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.”

7 Beautiful Passages from the Book of Joshua

Joshua 1:8

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8)

Joshua 3

“Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” (Joshua 3:5)

Joshua 4

“He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” (Joshua 4:24)

Joshua 5

“The commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so.” (Joshua 5:15)

Joshua 6

“So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” (Joshua 6:7)

Joshua 10

"On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” (Joshua 10:12)

Joshua 24

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)