Did you know there is a book of the Bible that has one of the most well-known stories in history in it? It’s true, Joshua and the Israelites’ crossing of the Jordan River. The story is pretty dang famous, right? But did you know there are tons more facts about Joshua that people don’t even know about?
When you think about the Bible, the first person that comes to mind is probably Jesus. But there are many other people in the Bible who play an important role in God’s plan for humanity. One such person is Joshua, whose name means “Yahweh saves.”
Joshua was Moses’ successor as leader of the Israelites after they crossed into the Promised Land. He led them in their battles with the Canaanites and Amorites, while also leading them spiritually through his example and teachings.
Here are 10 facts about Joshua:
1) Joshua was one of Moses’ most trusted disciples. He served as Moses’ aide-de-camp during their time on Mount Sinai and went with him on all his journeys (Numbers 11:28). After he died, God told the Israelites that they should follow Joshua’s example because he would lead them well (Deuteronomy 31:23).
2) The Bible says that Joshua was “a man in whom there is no deceit” (Numbers 12:7). This means that he was honest, kind, and trustworthy—qualities that made him an excellent leader for the Israelites at this time in their history when they needed someone who could be relied on to keep them safe and guide them wisely through.
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Facts About Joshua In The Bible
The name Joshua means “Yahweh saves.”
The name Joshua means “Yahweh saves.” The name Hoshea means “help” in Hebrew. The name Yeshua is a more modern version of the name Joshua, which means Yahweh saves. The name Jehoshua translates to Jehovah is salvation or Jehovah saves. The name Nun means fish, but it also has some connections with the word new or renewed in Hebrew
His full name is Jehoshua (Joshua), the shortened form of the longer name Hoshea (which was corrupted to Yeshua by Aramaic speakers).
When you hear the name Joshua, what comes to mind? Perhaps images of Moses and his staff parting the Red Sea, or Moses’ brother Aaron throwing down his staff to turn into a snake. If that’s what you’re picturing, then you’ve got it wrong. Joshua is a man in his own right who has done great things for God and for Israel.
He was born in Egypt around 1390 BC as Hoshea (shorter form of Jehoshua). He became an assistant of Moses as he led Israel out of bondage under Pharaoh Ramses II, and received help from Yahweh when he struck down Amalek’s army single-handedly (Exodus 17:9-13). As part of this battle, Joshua also discovered that “the Lord is my rock.” When God told him he would lead Israel into Canaanite territory after they crossed over Jordan river (Deuteronomy 1:8), the people called him Joshua instead because it means “Yahweh saves.”
Moses gives Joshua a special blessing.
When Moses was on his deathbed, he gave Joshua a special blessing. He told him that he would be with him when he led the people into the promised land. Moses told Joshua to be strong and courageous in leading men into battle against their enemies. He also had advice for Joshua’s future family life: “I now give you these instructions: Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged! For Yahweh your God will be with you wherever you go” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Then Moses reminded Joshua of what had happened in Egypt and at Mt Sinai, which were two different events but important ones for Israelite history nonetheless because they were both significant stages along their journey towards becoming a nation under God’s covenant promises with them—in other words, becoming His chosen people (Deuteronomy 29).
Joshua’s father, Nun, was a man of faith who had found favor in God’s eyes.
Joshua was a man of great faith. He did not falter in his commitment to God, even when his people were in danger of losing their way. However, it is important to note that Joshua’s faithfulness and devotion to God came from the example set by his father, Nun.
Nun (in Hebrew) was a Levite who served Moses and Aaron faithfully throughout their lives (Exodus 18:13-27). When Moses died on Mount Nebo and was buried there, he requested that “Joshua the son of Nun be kept as a witness against Israel” (Deuteronomy 31:28).
This means that while God had chosen Moses over Aaron as the leader of Israel at first (Numbers 27:21), he later decided it best if they both shared leadership roles together because they were both so faithful in their service towards him.
The Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 years while they mourned their idolatry and disobedience to God.
You should know that the Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 years while they mourned their idolatry and disobedience to God. The Bible says it was because they “lusted” after the things of Egypt, so they couldn’t enter into the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 29:27).
They had been living under harsh conditions in Egypt but still held onto their idols. They didn’t listen when God told them not to take anything with them, so He punished them by making them leave all their stuff behind as they went into a harsh desert where there was no food or water!
God’s grace covered all of this though. When Moses begged God to forgive his people’s sin and let them go into Canaan immediately, He replied: “I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight.” (Numbers 14:20)
Joshua has seen many battles from the first one at Hormah to Jericho to Ai.
While in the wilderness, Joshua’s faith and courage were tested. He did not waver from God even when it meant that he would be punished for disobeying God. As a result, the Lord rewarded him by giving him victory over the Amorites and other tribes that invaded Israel (Joshua 10:1-14).
In his final battle against Ai, Joshua was inspired by an angelic warrior who helped him win the battle against Israel’s enemies (Joshua 5:13-15). This was an example of how God sometimes gives us angels to help us defeat our enemies.
After Moses died, Joshua led Israel into Canaan where he had many battles with giants known as Anakim (Numbers 13:22). In this case we see how God works through men like Joshua who have faith in Him so they can conquer any obstacle thrown their way!
Jabin, king of Hazor, exercised dominion over all those kingdoms.
The book of Joshua tells you a lot about Jabin, king of Hazor. It’s hard to miss him when the Bible uses words like “exercised dominion over” and “kingdoms” when referring to him.
Hazor was one of many cities in Canaan (the land that Israel conquered under Joshua’s leadership). It was located in the northern part of Canaan and lay within the territory of Naphtali, an ancient Israelite tribe. In fact, it was probably considered the capital city of all Canaan because it was so large (Joshua 11:10 says that Hazor had walls as high as mountains).
Joshua follows the Lord’s command and circumcises all the males after the long journey through the desert.
After the long journey through the desert, God commanded Joshua to circumcise all the males.
Circumcision was a sign of the covenant between God and Israelites. It was also a reminder of God’s promise made to Abraham and his descendants. The Israelites were required to circumcise their sons or else they would be cut off from among their people (Leviticus 20:2-3).
After crossing the Jordan River on dry ground, Joshua leads his people in praising God for His faithfulness, just as Moses did before him.
After crossing the Jordan River on dry ground, Joshua leads his people in praising God for His faithfulness, just as Moses did before him. The celebration of this event was put up as a monument near where the waters came together.
When you read about Joshua’s life and journey throughout scripture, it is clear that he trusted in God with all of his heart. He obeyed Him and followed His plan even when it seemed impossible or even foolish!
God can be trusted to keep His promises
You can be confident that God will keep his promises to you. This means that even when everything around you is falling apart, God’s word still stands. He will never change his mind or his heart toward us.
God has promised to remain faithful to us, even though we may not always be faithful to him. There are many examples in the Bible where people turned away from God and suffered terrible consequences for their actions; but there are also examples of those who stayed loyal to God and were rewarded by seeing their faithfulness pay off (Joshua 1:7).
If you want a happy life now, then it would make sense for all of your decisions about what job to take or which housemate to live with should be based on how much these things will please yourself only; but if God is important in your life then all those other things must take second place because it’s not about what makes me happy today: it’s about what makes my relationship with God grow stronger tomorrow!
how old was joshua when moses died
According to Joshua 24:29, Joshua died at the age of 110.
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Joshua | |
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Moses and the Messengers from Canaan, Giovanni Lanfranco, oil on canvas, 85¾ × 97 in., at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles | |
Prophet, Righteous, Forefather | |
Born | Goshen (Lower Egypt), Ancient Egypt |
Died | Canaan |
joshua in the bible summary
After the death of Moses, God calls on Joshua to lead the Israelites across the Jordan River and take possession of the promised land. God guarantees victory in the military campaign and vows never to leave the Israelites so long as they obey his laws. The people swear their allegiance to Joshua, and he sends two spies across the river to investigate the territory. The men enter Jericho, where a prostitute named Rahab hides them in her home and lies to the city officials regarding the spies’ presence. Rahab tells the spies that the Canaanites are afraid of Israel and its miraculous successes. Professing belief in the God of the Israelites, she asks for protection for her family when the Israelites destroy Jericho. The spies pledge to preserve Rahab and return to Joshua, telling him of the weakened condition of Israel’s enemies.
The Israelites cross the Jordan River, led by a team of priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant. As the priests enter the water, the flow of the river stops and the Israelites cross the river on dry land. Arriving on the other side, the Israelites commemorate the miracle with an altar of twelve stones from the river bed (representing the twelve tribes of Israel). The people begin to eat the produce of the new land—thus halting the daily supply of manna—and the Israelite men perform the ritual of circumcision in preparation for battle.
Approaching Jericho, Joshua encounters a mysterious man who explains that he is the commander of God’s army but that he is neither for nor against Israel. Joshua pays homage to the man and passes on. Following divine instructions, Joshua leads the Israelites in carrying the Ark around Jericho for six days. On the seventh day, the Israelites march around the city seven times. Joshua rallies them to conquer the city and kill everyone except for Rahab. They are to refrain from taking any of the city’s religious items. At the sound of the Israelite war cry, the walls of Jericho collapse, and the Israelites destroy the city and its inhabitants.
Joshua’s fame spreads throughout the land, but the Israelites are humiliated in their attempts to take the next city, Ai. God attributes the disaster to the disobedience of Achan, an Israelite who has stolen religious items from Jericho. After the people stone Achan, the renewed attempt against Ai is successful as Joshua masterminds an elaborate ambush against the city’s forces. The Israelites celebrate by erecting an altar to God and publicly reaffirming their commitment to God’s law.
Fearful of the marauding Israelites, the people of Gibeon visit the Israelite camp in disguise, claiming to be travelers in the land and requesting peace with Israel. Joshua does not inquire with God and makes a hasty treaty with the men, only to discover later that the Gibeonites are natives of the land to be conquered. The Israelites refrain from attacking the city, but five other local kings attack Gibeon for making peace with Israel. The Israelites come to Gibeon’s aid and destroy the five armies. Joshua helps by commanding God to make the sun stand still during the fight. God listens and stops the sun’s movement—the only time in history, we are told, when God obeys a human.
The Israelites continue to destroy the southern and northern cities of Canaan, killing all living inhabitants, as God has stipulated. While much of the promised land still remains to be conquered, the people of Israel begin to settle in the land, dividing it amongst the twelve tribes. After God gives Israel rest from its enemies for many years, an ailing Joshua makes a farewell pronouncement to the nation of Israel. Joshua goads the Israelites to be strong and to obey all of God’s laws, throwing away any idols and refraining from intermarriage with the native people. The people assure Joshua they will be faithful to the covenant, but Joshua reluctantly accepts this assurance, worried that obedience for Israel will prove quite difficult.