Editing Joshua (section)

==Biblical narrative==
{{See also|History of ancient Israel and Judah}}

===The Exodus===
[[File:Tissot Moses Blesses Joshua Before the High Priest.jpg|thumb|''Moses Blesses Joshua Before the High Priest'' (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by [[James Tissot]])]]

Joshua was a major figure in the events of the Exodus. He was charged by Moses with selecting and commanding a militia group for their first battle after exiting Egypt, against the [[Amalekites]] in [[Rephidim]],<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleverse||Exodus|17:8–16|ESV}}</ref> in which they were victorious.

He later accompanied Moses when he ascended [[biblical Mount Sinai]] to commune with God,<ref>Exodus 24:13</ref> visualize God's plan for the Israelite [[tabernacle]], and receive the [[Ten Commandments]]. Joshua was with Moses when he descended from the mountain, heard the Israelites' celebrations around the [[Golden Calf]],<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleverse|Exodus| 32:17}}</ref> and broke the tablets bearing the words of the commandments. Similarly, in the narrative which refers to Moses being able to speak with God in his tent of meeting outside the camp, Joshua is seen as custodian of the tent ('tabernacle of meeting') when Moses returned to the Israelite encampment.<ref name="auto">Exodus 33:11</ref> However, when Moses returned to the mountain to re-create the tablets recording the Ten Commandments, Joshua was not present, as the biblical text states "no man shall come up with you".<ref>Exodus 34:3</ref>

Later, Joshua was identified as one of the [[The Twelve Spies|twelve spies]] sent by Moses to explore and report on the land of [[Canaan]],<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleverse||Numbers|13:16–17|ESV}}</ref> and only he and [[Caleb]] gave an encouraging report, a reward for which would be that only these two of their entire generation would enter the promised land.<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleverse||Numbers|14:22–24|ESV}}</ref>

According to Joshua 1:1,<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleverse||Joshua|1:1–9|ESV}}</ref> God appointed Joshua to succeed Moses as leader of the Israelites along with giving him a blessing of invincibility during his lifetime.<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleref2|Joshua|1:5}}</ref>{{sfn|Goldingay|2023|pp=67–68}} The first part of the book of Joshua covers the period when he led the conquest of [[Canaan]].

===Conquest of Canaan===
{{main|Book of Joshua}}
[[File:JoshuaSun Martin.jpg|thumb|''[[Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon]]'' by [[John Martin (painter)|John Martin]], 1816]]

At the [[Jordan River]], the waters parted, as they had for Moses at the [[Red Sea]]. The first battle after the crossing of the Jordan was the [[Battle of Jericho]]. Joshua led the destruction of [[Jericho]], then moved on to [[Ai (Bible)|Ai]], a small neighboring city to the west. However, they were defeated with thirty-six Israelite deaths. The defeat was attributed to [[Achan (Bible)|Achan]] taking an "accursed thing" from Jericho; and was followed by Achan and his family and animals being stoned to death to restore God's favor. Joshua then went to defeat Ai.

The Israelites faced an alliance of five [[Amorite]] kings from [[Jerusalem]], [[Hebron]], [[Jarmuth]], [[Lachish]], and [[Eglon, Canaan|Eglon]]. At [[Gibeon (ancient city)|Gibeon]], Joshua asked the {{Lord}} to cause the Sun and Moon to stand still, so that he could finish the battle in daylight. According to the text, the Sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. This event is most notable because "There has been no day like it before or since, when the {{Lord}} heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel."<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleverse||Joshua|10:14|ESV}}</ref> The {{Lord}} also fought for the Israelites in this battle, for he hurled huge hailstones from the sky which killed more Canaanites than those which the Israelites slaughtered. From there on, Joshua was able to lead the Israelites to several victories, securing much of the land of Canaan. He presided over the Israelite gatherings at [[Gilgal]] and [[Shiloh (biblical city)|Shiloh]] which [[Land lottery|allocated land]] to the tribes of Israel (Joshua 14:1–5 and 18:1–10), and the Israelites rewarded him with the Ephraimite city of [[Timnath-heres]] or Timnath-serah, where he settled (Joshua 19:50).

According to the [[Talmud]], Joshua in his book enumerated only those towns on the frontier.{{efn|name=BabaBathra}}

===Death===
[[File:Joshua's Tomb at Kifl Hares.jpg|thumb|Joshua's Tomb in [[Kifl Haris]] near [[Nablus]], [[West Bank]], on Joshua's ''yartzeit'' 2007]]
[[File:Joshua's Tomb in Jordan 01.jpg|thumb|Joshua's Tomb in [[Jordan]]]]

When he was "old and well advanced in years",<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleverse ||Joshua|23:1–2|ESV}}</ref> Joshua convened the elders and chiefs of the Israelites and exhorted them to have no fellowship with the native population, because it could lead them to be unfaithful to God.<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleverse ||Joshua|23:7–8|ESV}}, {{bibleverse-nb ||Joshua|23:12–13|ESV}}</ref> At a general assembly of the clans at [[Shechem]], he took leave of the people, admonishing them to be loyal to their God, who had been so mightily manifested in the midst of them. As a witness of their promise to serve God, Joshua set up a great stone under an oak by the sanctuary of God. Soon afterward he died, at the age of 110, and was buried at [[Timnath-heres]], in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleverse ||Joshua|24:29–30|ESV}}</ref>