Overview
Joshua records how Israel, under the leadership of Joshua the successor of Moses, crossed the Jordan, entered and conquered the land of Canaan, and divided it among the tribes. It describes the fulfillment of the promise of the land made to the patriarchs. The book concludes with the renewal of the covenant at Shechem and the death of Joshua.
Theme The fulfillment of the promised land and faithfulness to the covenant
Historical background
The period of Joshua is placed at the transition from the Late Bronze Age to the early Iron Age, and its date is set at either the 14th or the 12th century BC depending on the date assigned to the Exodus. Canaan at this time was divided into city-states under Egyptian influence, and the Amarna letters illuminate its political situation. The archaeological evidence from Jericho, Ai, and Hazor is interpreted in a variety of ways.