The Bible Book

96

TAKE UP THE

ARK OF THE

COVENANT

JOSHUA 3:6, ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND

W

hen Moses dies just

one step away from

Canaan, the land

promised to Abraham and his

descendants as an “everlasting

possession” (Genesis 17:8), there is

an obvious successor: Joshua, his

faithful lieutenant. God tells Joshua

to prepare to cross the Jordan River:

“As I was with Moses, so I will be

with you; I will never leave you

nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5).

Relatively little is known about

Joshua’s background. He is an

Ephraimite (descended from

Jacob’s son Joseph) who had been

born in Egypt. Like the other

Israelites, he had followed Moses

out of the country when the Exodus

began. Joshua was unquestionably

Moses’s most faithful disciple—as

Exodus 33 puts it, he “did not leave

the tent.” He was chosen to go with

Moses to Mount Sinai, where God

issued the Ten Commandments,

and, along with Caleb, was one

of the 12 spies sent to scout out

Canaan. The first mention of him

in the Bible is in Exodus 17:9–16,

which tells how Moses chooses

Joshua to lead the Israelites into

battle against the Amalekites at

Rephidim, most likely a broad

valley, now called Wadi Feiran,

about 25 miles (40km) from Mount

Sinai. Joshua was to win many

more victories for the Israelites.

Crossing the Jordan

When the time comes for the

Israelites to enter the Promised

Land, Joshua and Caleb are ready.

The Israelites, now camping by the

banks of the Jordan River, are more

Moses appoints Joshua to lead the

Israelites to the Promised Land. This

19th-century engraving highlights

Joshua’s role as a military leader by

depicting him in a helmet and boots.

IN BRIEF

PA S SAGE

Joshua 3–4

THEME

Entering the Promised

Land

SETTING

14th–13th century bce

Banks of the Jordan River.

KEY FIGURES

Moses Leader of the Israelites,

who has brought them to the

edge of the Promised Land.

Joshua Moses’s lieutenant,

whom God appoints to lead

the Israelites after the death of

Moses. God gives Joshua the

gift of invincibility in battle.

Caleb Assists Joshua in

leading the Israelites into

the Promised Land.

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