BIBLE BOOK GUIDE
Joshua
24 chapters
God faithfully fulfills His promise by leading Israel into and giving them victory in the promised land, displaying His faithfulness and holiness.
Joshua
Choose a chapter
Pick a chapter and it opens in the Current chapter tab. Come back here whenever you want to choose another one.
Why this book was written
Joshua records Israel's entry into Canaan under Joshua's leadership to assure Israel (likely the post-exilic or struggling community) that the LORD is faithful to His covenant—those who trust and obey will receive His promised inheritance—and to warn that disobedience will forfeit His blessing.
Structure
- 1–5Entering the Promised Land
- 6–12Conquering Canaan
- 13–22Dividing and Settling the Land
- 23–24Joshua's Farewell and Covenant Renewal
Major themes
Faithfulness and Victory
God promised to give Canaan to Israel and called them to fight by faith under Joshua's leadership. God proved faithful, granting victory at Jericho, Ai, and beyond (Josh 1:3; ch. 6; 21:43–45).
Obedience and Holiness
Israel's victories depended on full obedience—circling Jericho, dealing decisively with Achan's sin, and renewing the covenant (Josh 6; ch. 7; 8:30–35).
God's Presence and Sovereignty
Facing mighty Canaanites, Joshua is assured, 'the LORD your God is with you' (Josh 1:5, 9). God sovereignly chose Israel, executed judgment, and apportioned the land.
Land and Rest
God gave Canaan as an inheritance to the twelve tribes, picturing His promised rest—a foreshadowing of the ultimate rest He prepared for His people (Josh 11:23; 21:43–45; Heb 4).
Covenant Renewal and Consecration
Joshua renewed the law at Mount Ebal, built an altar, pronounced blessings and curses (Josh 8:30–35; ch. 24), and called Israel to serve the LORD alone.
Leadership and Succession
From Moses' servant arising (Josh 1:1–2) to Joshua's farewell charges and death (ch. 23; 24:29–33), godly leadership is rooted in God's Word.
How it points to Christ
Joshua ('YHWH saves') prefigures Christ: he leads God's people into the promised inheritance just as Jesus leads us into the heavenly rest (Heb 4). Victories are won by covenant faithfulness, not human might—mirroring the Christian life lived by the cross and resurrection. Achan's judgment shows the wages of sin is death, a curse Christ bore for us (Josh 8:30–35; Gal 3:13). Joshua's rest was only partial; the author of Hebrews notes, 'if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day' (Heb 4:8). The true rest-giving Joshua is our great High Priest, Jesus Christ.
Key verses
- 1:9God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous because He is with him—a promise that undergirds the entire book.
- 1:8Meditating on the law day and night is the key to Israel's success in possessing the land.
- 4:24The memorial stones declare the LORD's mighty hand so that all peoples may know and fear Him.
- 6:20The fall of Jericho shows victory comes through obedience to God's word, not human strength.
- 21:43–45The narrative climax: the LORD gave Israel all He promised; not one word of His promises failed.
- 22:5Joshua's charge to the eastern tribes—to love, obey, and serve God wholeheartedly—sets the standard of devotion for all Israel.
- 23:11Joshua warns that careful love for the LORD is essential or Israel will lose God's protection in the land.
- 24:14–15Joshua's climactic call to choose the LORD over other gods—a foundational call to exclusive covenant loyalty.
People in this book
Questions for reflection
- ·When God calls you into a new 'promised land,' do you step out in faith like Joshua, or give way to fear like the ten spies?
- ·Have you, like Achan, secretly kept 'devoted things' amid victory? How has God exposed hidden sin in your life?
- ·Joshua declared, 'as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD' (24:15). What does that resolution mean for your household today?
- ·God promised His presence, not an easy path (Josh 1:5–9). Which of His promises do you most need to stand on right now?
- ·Israel's rest was incomplete, pointing to the perfect rest in Christ. Are you living in Christ's rest, or still striving in your own strength?
Want to read Joshua start to finish? Open the reader for parallel Chinese/English text and ask anything as you go.
Start reading JoshuaJoshua
Chapter 15
1And the lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was unto the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south.
2And their south border was from the uttermost part of the Salt Sea, from the bay that looketh southward;
3and it went out southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and went up by the south of Kadesh-barnea, and passed along by Hezron, and went up to Addar, and turned about to Karka;
4and it passed along to Azmon, and went out at the brook of Egypt; and the goings out of the border were at the sea: this shall be your south border.
5And the east border was the Salt Sea, even unto the end of the Jordan. And the border of the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the end of the Jordan;
6and the border went up to Beth-hoglah, and passed along by the north of Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben;
7and the border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is over against the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river; and the border passed along to the waters of En-shemesh, and the goings out thereof were at En-rogel;
8and the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the side of the Jebusite southward (the same is Jerusalem); and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the uttermost part of the vale of Rephaim northward;
12And the west border was to the great sea, and the border thereof. This is the border of the children of Judah round about according to their families.
13And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Jehovah to Joshua, even Kiriath-arba, which Arba was the father of Anak (the same is Hebron).
14And Caleb drove out thence the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
15And he went up thence against the inhabitants of Debir: now the name of Debir beforetime was Kiriath-sepher.
16And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kiriath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
17And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
18And it came to pass, when she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she alighted from off her ass; and Caleb said, What wouldest thou?
19And she said, Give me a blessing; for that thou hast set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.
20This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.
21And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom in the South were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,
22and Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah,
23and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan,
24Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,
25and Hazor - hadattah, and Kerioth - hezron (the same is Hazor),
26Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,
27and Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-pelet,
28and Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Biziothiah,
30and Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,
31and Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah,
32and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages.
33In the lowland, Eshtaol, and Zorah, and Ashnah,
34and Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
35Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
36and Shaaraim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages.
37Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad,
38and Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
39Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,
40and Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Chitlish,
41and Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages.
42Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,
43and Iphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,
44and Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages.
45Ekron, with its towns and its villages;
46from Ekron even unto the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.
47Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; unto the brook of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof.
48And in the hill-country, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,
49and Dannah, and Kiriath-sannah (the same is Debir),
50and Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,
51and Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages.
52Arab, and Dumah, and Eshan,
53and Janim, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah,
54and Humtah, and Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages.
55Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Jutah,
56and Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
57Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages.
58Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor,
59and Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages.
60Kiriath-baal (the same is Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.
61In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah,
62and Nibshan, and the City of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities with their villages.
63And as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.
